The adsorption of Cu(II) ion from aqueous solution upon acrylic acid grafted poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers

This study is concerned with the investigation of the adsorption properties of acrylic acid grafted poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers by the use of Cu(II) ions in aqueous solutions. Influence of pH, graft yield, contact time, concentration of the ion, and reaction temperature on the amount of ion adsorbed upon reactive fiber were investigated. The time in which the adsorption reached to the equilibrium value was determined as 1 h. The adsorption isotherm of Cu(II) ion was found to be a Langmuir type and the heat of adsorption was calculated as −10.1 kJ mol−1. It was observed that the adsorbed Cu(II) ion upon acrylic acid grafted poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers could be recovered in acidic media. The fiber could also readsorb Cu(II) ions without losing its activity. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 1216–1220, 2003