Synthesis of poly(methacrylic acid)-functionalized SBA-15 and its adsorption of phenol in aqueous media

Poly(methacrylic acid)-functionalized SBA-15 silicas (denoted as P-x-PMA/SBA-15 where x is molar ratio of TSPM/(TEOS+TSPM) in percentage in the initial mixture) were synthesized by co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane and varying contents of 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate in acidic medium with the block copolymer Pluronic 123 as a structure directing agent and then polymerization by methacrylic acid in the presence of ammonium persulfate as an initiator. The functionalized materials were characterized by PXRD, TEM, SEM, IR, and N₂ adsorption-desorption at 77 K. The investigation of phenol adsorption in aqueous solution on the materials showed that the poly(methacrylic acid)-functionalized mesoporous silicas possessstrong adsorption ability for phenol with interaction of various kinds of hydrogen bonds. The adsorption data were fitted to Langmuir isotherms and the maximum adsorption capacity of the three functionalized materialsP-5-PMA/SBA-15, P-10-PMA/SBA-15, and P-15-PMA/SBA-15 to be 129.37 mg/g, 187.97 mg/g, and 78.43 mg/g, respectively, were obtained. The effect of the pH on phenol adsorption was studied.