Preparation and photo-regeneration properties of photo-responsive cellulose based imprinted adsorption materials

Abstract

The photoresponsive adsorption materials are of great significance to the light controlled release performance of pollutants and the development of green regeneration of adsorption materials. A photo-responsive cellulose based imprinted adsorbent (Cell-AB-MIP) was synthesized by surface-initiates atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) using cellulose as raw material, azobenzene derivatives as functional monomers, and the typical pesticide residues 2, 4-D as template. The synthetic conditions were optimized by single factor experiment, and the structure and performance of the material was analyzed by some characterization methods. The results show that the surface of Cell-AB-MIP contains abundant functional groups (—COOH, N=N, etc.), which have a high specific recognition effect for 2, 4-D. The introduction of azobenzene group makes Cell-AB-MIP have excellent photo-induced regeneration performance. The azobenzene group on Cell-AB-MIP surface changes from trans-configuration to cis-configuration under UV irradiation, then changing the binding affinity of adsorbent for pollutants, thus realizing green regeneration via UV-light. The desorption efficiency can reach 72.22% in methanol medium under UV light irradiation. After 5 times of cycle, the adsorption percentage to 2, 4-D still remains 83.47%. The analysis results of SEM and EA confirm that the adsorbed pollutants can be separated from the surface of the adsorbent after UV irradiation, completing the regeneration process.

Keywords

• cellulose
• molecular imprinting
• photo-responsive
• 2, 4-d
• green regeneration