Synthesis and Characterization of beta-Cyclodextrin Functionalized Ionic Liquid Polymer as a Macroporous Material for the Removal of Phenols and As(V)

beta-Cyclodextrin-ionic liquid polymer (CD-ILP) was first synthesized by functionalized beta-cyclodextrin (CD) with 1-benzylimidazole (BIM) to form monofunctionalized CD (beta CD-BIMOTs) and was further polymerized using a toluene diisocyanate (TDI) linker to form insoluble CD-ILP (beta CD-BIMOTs-TDI). The beta CD-BIMOTs-TDI polymer was characterized using various tools and the results obtained were compared with those derived from the native beta-cyclodextrin polymer (beta CD-TDI). The SEM result shows that the presence of ionic liquid (IL) increases the pore size, while the thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) result shows that the presence of IL increases the stability of the polymer. Meanwhile, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) results show that beta CD-BIMOTs-TDI polymer has 1.254 m(2)/g surface areas and the Barret-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) pore size distribution result reveals that the polymer exhibits macropores with a pore size of 77.66 nm. Preliminary sorption experiments were carried out and the beta CD-BIMOTs-TDI polymer shows enhanced sorption capacity and high removal towards phenols and As(V).