Synergistic DFT-guided design and microfluidic synthesis of high-performance ion-imprinted biosorbents for selective heavy metal removal

International water security has become unprecedentedly complicated, therefore, effective and selective removal of hazardous materials, especially toxic heavy metal ions, are significant for effluent purification. In this regard, ion-imprinted polymers with special recognition cavities have received much attention. However, configuration screening and performance optimization of functional materials by trial-and-error design method is undoubtedly time- and money-consuming. In this study, high-performance ion-imprinted chitosan microspheres (ICSMs) were successfully designed via density functional theory (DFT) calculation and synthesized via facile microfluidic technology. As-synthesized ICSMs exhibited highly uniform morphology (Dav = 420.6 µm, CV = 3.6%) and ultra-high adsorption capacity (qmax = 107.12 mg g−1). The adsorption isotherm was best fitted to the Langmuir model while the kinetic data followed the pseudo-second order model, indicating a dominant role of chemisorptions. Also, ICSMs displayed satisfactory stability and reusability (95.34 mg g−1, after 5 cycles). Moreover, the selective adsorption mechanism was quantitative revealed by electronegativity, electrophilicity index, adsorption energy (Ea) and bond length. This study is expected to lay a foundation for high-performance biosorbents design and synthesis for future water remediation. [Display omitted] •High-performance ICSMs were obtained by DFT-guided design and microfluidic synthesis.•Ultra-high adsorption property for targeted metal ions (107.12 mg g−1) was proved.•Target ions selective removal from mono- and multi-component systems was achieved.•Selectivity mechanism was quantitative revealed by adsorption energy and bond length.•Superior and stable re-adsorption efficiency (> 95 mg g−1 after 5 cycles) was verified.