Study on complexation adsorption behavior of dibenzo-18-crown-6 immobilized on CPVA microspheres for metal ions

Dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DBC) was immobilized on crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol (CPVA) microspheres, resulting in polymer-supported crown ether DBC–CPVA. The complexation adsorption behaviors of DBC–CPVA microspheres towards diverse metal ions were investigated. The experimental results show that among alkali metal ions, the complexation adsorption ability of DBC–CPVA for K⁺ ion is the strongest, and crown ether-metal complex in 1:1 ratio is formed, exhibiting a high adsorption capacity. The adsorption capacities of alkali metal ions on DBC–CPVA are in the order: K⁺ ? Na⁺ > LI⁺ > Rb⁺ > Cs⁺. Among several divalent metal ions, DBC–CPVA exhibits stronger adsorption ability towards Zn²⁺ and Co²⁺ ions, and a “sandwich”-type complex is formed probably in a molar ratio of 2:1 between the immobilized DBC and Zn²⁺ ion as well as between the immobilized DBC and Co²⁺ ion. The adsorption capacities of the several divalent metal ions on DBC–CPVA are in the order: Zn²⁺ > Co²⁺ ? Cd²⁺ > Cu²⁺ > Ni²⁺ > Pb²⁺. The complexation adsorption is exothermic physical physisorption process, and raising temperature leads to the decrease of the adsorption capacity. At the same time, the entropy during the complexation adsorption decreases, so the adsorption process is driven by the decrease of enthalpy.