Novel aromatic polyamides with main chain and pendant 1,2,4-triazole moieties and their application to the extraction/elimination of mercury cations from aqueous media

Abstract

This work describes five novel aromatic polyamides and copolyamides containing the triazole heterocycle attached by an amine linkage to the main and lateral chains. The polyamides were found to be amorphous and soluble in polar aprotic solvents. They demonstrated a film-forming capability, exhibited good thermal resistance and had high thermal transition temperatures (up to 375 °C). The triazole and amine groups imparted hydrophilicity to the polymers, giving rise to materials that improve their mechanical properties upon water uptake, and were efficient chelating/host units for heavy metal cations. These properties facilitated the preparation of solid polymer phases to be used for the extraction and elimination of environmentally deleterious cations from water environments. In regards to cation extraction from aqueous media with polyamide solid phases, the correct polymer structure designs led to the extraction of high percentages of Hg^II (neat 100%).