Reactivity characteristics of poly(methyl methacrylate) coated nanoscale iron particles for trichloroethylene remediation

The unstable characteristic of nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI) has been a drawback in practical application, despite the expectation of an enhanced reactivity. It has been ever-increasing interests to maintain the NZVI stability in air without significant reactivity sacrifice. This study demonstrated a novel method of coating NZVI particles with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), which protected the core iron nanoparticles from oxidation in air and enhanced their dispersion stability in organic solvents. The reactivity studies on trichloroethene (TCE) reduction showed that the PMMA coated nanoscale zerovalent iron (PNZVI) particles were capable of effectively reducing TCE. The main roles of PMMA on the dechlorination reactions were confirmed to be sorption enhancement, competitive sorption and corrosion inhibition.