Scalable Fabrication of Metallopolymeric Superstructures for Highly Efficient Removal of Methylene Blue

Abstract

Metallopolymeric superstructures (MPS) are hybrid functional materials that find wide applications in environmental, energy, catalytic and biomedical-related scenarios, while their fabrication usually suffers from the complicated polymerization between monomeric ligands and metal ions. In this work, we have developed a facile one-step protocol to fabricate metallopolymeric superstructures with different morphology including nanospheres, nanocubes, nanorods, and nanostars for environmental remediation application. Specifically, we have firstly synthesized the amphiphilic block copolymers (BCP) bearing hydrophobic aromatic backbone and hydrophilic pendent carboxylic/sulfonic groups, which have been subsequently transformed into MPS via the metal ions mediated self-assembly in mixed solution of dimethylformamide (DMF) and H2O. Based on SEM, FTIR, XRD and XPS characterization, we have revealed that the fine morphology and condensed structures of MPS can be modulated via the metal ions and BCP concentration, and the obtained MPS can be employed as efficient adsorbents for the removal of methylene blue with maximum adsorption capacity approaching 936.13 mg/g.