Polypropylene-zeolite polymer composites for water purification: synthesis, characterisation and application

This paper reports on the preparation of polypropylene-zeolite polymer composites using the melt-mixing compounding technique. These polymer composites have shown unique and enhanced properties as compared to their monolithic constituents. All polymer hybrids were formed by solvent-less melt-intercalation and extrusion. The changes in conventional properties of the two mixed constituents were probed using techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. XRD analyses showed a co-existence of intercalated and exfoliated zeolite phases. The influence of operational conditions such as exposure time, zeolite loading rate and solution pH were determined. An optimum zeolite loading of 15wt.% was observed. Solution pH had the greatest influence on the removal of both heavy metals and substituted phenols. The polymer composites exhibited both adsorption and ion-exchange properties in the removal of heavy metals in aqueous media.