Sulfur-Containing Poly(phenol-amine) for Efficient Removal of Cr(VI) in Aqueous Environment

Benefiting from dual functional group synergy of catechol and amino group, poly(phenol-amine) deliver satisfactory adsorption performance for Cr(VI). Considering strong chelating capability with Cr(VI) and high reactivity of thiol group, this work goes beyond dual functional group synergy between catechol and amino group, and demonstrates triple functional group cooperation among catechol, amino group, and sulfur. A sulfur-containing poly(phenol-amine) was fabricated through simple oxidative polymerization between catechol and cysteamine. The effects of different parameters including solution pH, adsorption time, Cr(VI) initial concentration, temperature, and coexistence of other ions on adsorption performance were studied in detail. Kinetic models, isothermal models, and intra particle diffusion model were used to fitting adsorption process. Benefited from triple functional group cooperation among catechol, amino group, and sulfur, as-prepared sulfur-containing poly(phenol-amine) deliver maximum adsorption capacity of 327.89 mg/g for Cr(VI), which is higher than that of recently reported poly(phenol-amine) adsorbents. Additionally, as-prepared sulfur-containing poly(phenol-amine) exhibit good recoverability, and competitive adsorption performance in the presence of coexisting ions. This work would provide an important inspiration for future construction of poly(phenol-amine) adsorbent.