Ethylene copolymers as sorbers of metallic ions from solutions

摘要

A copolymer is prepared, by high pressure radical polymerisation, of, by wt, 40-95 % of ethylene, 5 -60 % of at least one aminoalkyl acrylate of the formula:where R, is H or methyl, R₂ and R₃ each are C₁ -₄. alkyl and n is 1, 2, 3 or 4, and optionally also up to 20 % of another copolymerizable monomer, the copolymer having a number average molecular weight of 5000 to 50,000.;The copolymer is molded to pellets, beads, sheets, mats, cloth or cartridges and used as a filter to sorb metal ions, other than Fe or Co, from waste industrial aqueous solution containing metal ions, e.g. ions of Pd, Cr or U, the solution being adjusted to appropriate pH. The copolymer can be washed with water of different pH to recover the metal; or it can be burnt and the metal recovered from the ash.