Abstract
This PhD work investigates complexing polymeric materials for the sorption and/or the recovery of heavy metal ions coming from industrial effluents. Three types of materials based on phosphorus and poly(2-oxazoline) were studied with firstly, water-soluble complexing polymers based on poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) functionalized by phosphorus-based complexing groups. The sorption capacity of these polymers against metal ions such as nickel and aluminum was demonstrated.Secondly, photo-active and complexing polymeric nanogels were prepared from a water-soluble terpolymer based on poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline), phosphonic acid moieties and photo-dimerizable coumarin groups. The self-assembly of these polymers in water allows the obtaining of water-soluble nanoparticles able to produce nanogels with a photo-crosslinked core under UV irradiation. The influence of UV irradiation and pH on the size of the nanogels was evaluated, their stability over time and their sorption capacity against neodymium and nickel were measured, demonstrating the advantages of nanogels towards nanoparticles.Finally, a simple, fast and original method of elaboration of complexing hydrogels was successfully reached by photopolymerization of an acrylic monomer bearing a phosphonated group (APC1) in aqueous solution in the presence of poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-co-poly(ethyleneimine) (POx-PEI). The originality of this methodology is the elaboration of homogeneous hydrogels from incompatible polymers. The mechanical strength of these materials results from physical entanglement of P(APC1) and POx-PEI chains and from the numerous cooperative interactions, in particular hydrogen bonds between ester, amine, amide, phosphorus groups of the polymers. The study of swelling, mechanics and sorption of hydrogels in solutions containing metal ions such as zinc, copper, calcium, and nickel showed the complexation ability of the hydrogels and the enhancement of the mechanical properties of the material after sorption of metallic ions.