Harnessing Polyaminal Porous Networks for Sustainable Environmental Applications Using Ultrafine Silver Nanoparticles

Environmental contamination is a critical global concern, primarily due to detrimental greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, especially carbon dioxide (CO2), which significantly contribute to climate change. Moreover, the presence of harmful heavy metals like Ni, Cd, Cu, Hg, and Pb in soil and water ecosystems has led to poor water quality. Noble metal nanoparticles (MNPs), for instance, Pd, Ag, Pt, and Au, have emerged as promising solutions for addressing environmental pollution. However, the practical utilization of MNPs faces challenges as they tend to aggregate and lose stability. To overcome this issue, the reverse double-solvent method (RDSM) was utilized to synthesis melamine-based porous polyaminals (POPs) as a supportive material for the in situ growing of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). The porous structure of melamine-based porous polyaminals, featuring aminal-linked (-HN-C-NH-) and triazine groups, provides excellent binding sites for capturing Ag+ ions, thereby improving the dispersion and stability of the nanoparticles. The resulting material exhibited ultrafine particle sizes for Ag NPs, and the incorporation of Ag NPs within the porous polyaminals demonstrated a high surface area (~279 m2/g) and total pore volume (1.21 cm3/g), encompassing micropores and mesopores. Additionally, the Ag NPs@POPs showcased significant capacity for CO2 capture (2.99 mmol/g at 273 K and 1 bar) and effectively removed Cu (II), with a remarkable removal efficiency of 99.04%. The nitrogen-rich porous polyaminals offer promising prospects for immobilizing and encapsulating Ag nanoparticles, making them outstanding adsorbents for selectively capturing carbon dioxide and removing metal ions. Pursuing this approach holds immense potential for various environmental applications.