Removal of anionic dyes with glycidyl methacrylate-grafted polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers modified with ethylenediamine

In this work, the epoxy groups of poly (ethylene terephthalate) PET copolymers grafted with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) were modified with ethylenediamine (EDA) to form exclusive adsorbent for removal of congo red (CR) and acid violet7 (AV-7) in the aqueous environment. The graft copolymers (GMA-g-PET) were synthesized with different grafting yield by a radical polymerization process with using benzoyl peroxide (Bz2O2) as radical initiator. Amination of GMA-g-PET fibers using EDA was studied in different solvents, and maximum yield (w/w %) was obtained in the toluene. The grafted and modified fibers were analyzed by CHNS organic elemental analyzer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C-NMR). By SEM analysis, the morphological changes have been shown after grafting. The chemical changes after grafting and addition of EDA to the fibers have been proven with FTIR, NMR and elemental analysis. The thermal properties of the grafted and aminated fibers were researched with thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimeter analysis. The removal of dyes by the EDA-GMA-g-PET fibers was investigated in aqueous medium at different conditions. Optimum conditions of different parameters such as pH of medium, graft yield of GMA on the fibers, adsorption duration, initial concentration of dye molecules and effect of graft yield on amination reaction were examined. The optimum pH of CR and AV-7 removal was found 5 and 3, respectively. The removal yield was found about 100% for both dyes while initial concentration of dyes was changed from 10 to 400 mg/L. Adsorbed dyes with the fibers were desorbed with 1 M NaOH at room conditions.