Facile one-pot synthesis of imidazole-functionalized poly-(vinylbenzyl chloride) and its study on the applicability of synthetic dye removal from aqueous system

This study presents a direct and simple one-pot synthesis of 2-methylimidazole grafted poly-vinylbenzyl chloride (2-MeIm-pVBC) using radical polymerization, followed by its studies on the removal of structurally diverse mono and di-azo dyes (Acid Orange 7 (AO7), Acid Yellow 17 (AY17), and Acid Black 1 (AB1)) from aqueous media. Characterization of the material, effect of key factors such as dosage and pH on substrate removal, adsorption kinetics and isotherms, removal selectivity of the examined dyes, and reusability of the adsorbent were assessed. The prepared polymeric material exhibited outstanding removal activity with respect to all three dyes at a wide range of pH, with no significant impact due to the chemical complexity of the substrate. Adsorption kinetics and isotherm studies showcases supreme and rapid affinity towards AO7, with a maximum adsorption capacity of around 2012 mg/g. Lastly, 2-MeIm-pVBC exhibited its sustainability by maintaining 8 cycles of adsorption-desorption process with outstanding substrate removal rate. Therefore, 2-MeIm-pVBC demonstrated promising adsorption performance and exceptional selectivity on all three examined substrates, which can be further developed as an efficient agent for removing synthetic dyes in aqueous system.