Synthesis and Characterization of Fe₃O₄–SiO₂-Based Ion Imprinted Polymer
Keywords:
Ion imprinted polymer, Fe₃O₄–SiO₂, surface imprinting,, magnetic nanocomposite, polymer synthesisAbstract
This study presents the synthesis and characterization of an ion imprinted polymer (IIP) based on Fe₃O₄–SiO₂ using a surface imprinting approach. The material was designed to combine the advantages of magnetic separation, structural stability, and selective recognition properties. The synthesis involved the preparation of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles via co-precipitation, followed by SiO₂ coating through a sol–gel process. Surface modification was carried out to introduce polymerizable groups, and polymerization was conducted using methacrylic acid (MAA) as the functional monomer, N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as the crosslinker, and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as the initiator. The structural characteristics of the synthesized material were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS). XRD results confirmed that the crystalline structure of Fe₃O₄ was preserved after silica coating and polymerization. FTIR analysis indicated the successful formation of Si–O–Si bonds and the presence of functional groups associated with the polymer matrix. SEM images revealed irregular and aggregated particle morphology, while EDS analysis confirmed the presence of Fe, Si, O, and C elements. These findings confirm the successful formation of a Fe₃O₄–SiO₂-based ion imprinted polymer with a well-defined core–shell structure and functional polymer layer. Furthermore, the synthesized material shows strong potential for selective adsorption and separation of lanthanum ions, making it a promising candidate for rare earth element recovery applications.
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