Chelation Properties of Poly(8–Hydroxyquinoline 5,7–diylmethylene) Crosslinked with Bisphenol–A Toward Lanthanum(III), Cerium(III), Neodimium(III), Samarium(III), and Gadolinium(III) Ions

The chelation behavior of poly(8–hydroxyquinoline 5,7–diylmethylene) crosslinked with various amounts of bisphenol–A toward some trivalent lanthanide metal ions, such as La(III), Ce(III), Nd(III), Sm(III), and Gd(III), has been investigated by a static batch equilibration technique. The effects of crosslinking on the chelation characteristics of these resins were studied. The optimal capacity of metal-ion uptake was achieved by incorporating 5–10% of bisphenol–A into the polymer matrix. A scanning electron microscope was used to analyze the surface morphology of the polymers. The measured water-regain values have shown that the hydrophilicity of the crosslinked polymers increases as the degree of crosslinking is increased.