MOLECULARLY IMPRINTED POLYMER GRANULES FOR EXTRACTION OF LITHIUM, MERCURY AND SCANDIUM Russian patent published in 2021 - IPC B01J20/26 B01J20/28 B01J20/30 C22B3/42 C22B26/12 C22B43/00 C22B59/00 

FIELD: molecularly imprinted polymers.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to molecularly imprinted polymers, namely macroporous polymer granules for binding target molecules, methods for producing granules and methods for selective sequestration of one or more target ions from a solution of one or more target metal ions mixed with other ions. The set of macroporous polymer granules contains a copolymer having a set of complexing cavities that selectively bind Au(S₂O₃)₂^3-, the copolymer being prepared from: (a) a cationic ligand monomer complexed with a non-metallic substitute ion selected from the group consisting of tetrathionate, pentathionate, hexathionate, hexadionate, heptyldionate, octyldionate, 1,4-phenylenediacetate, butanedisulfonate, pentanedisulfonate and hexanedisulfonate, (b) a non-ligand monomer and (c) a crosslinking monomer, the charge of the copolymer being opposite to the charge of the copolymer in the complexing cavity of the metal. In various embodiments, the granules are designed to bind scandium tricarbonate, Li⁺ and Hg²⁺, while the copolymer can be obtained in particular from a cationic ligand monomer complexed with a tribasic salt of benzene-1,3,5-triyl tricarboxylate, complex 1-(4-vinylpyridin-2-yl) methanimine, optionally substituted with a C₄-C₂₄ branched or unbranched alkyl group on the imine nitrogen atom, with Li⁺, and a complex of bis-4-vinylbenzyl dithiocarbamate Ca²⁺, where R is a C₄-C₂₄ branched or unbranched alkyl group, respectively. The sequestration method includes first contacting the macroporous polymer granules with a stripping solution, whereby complexed ions are removed from the granules, and then contacting the cleaned granules with the solution.

EFFECT: granules are characterized by high performance and low cost, yet they are highly selective and their production is safe and scalable.

20 cl, 1 dwg