Structure-Scavenging Abilities of Cyclodextrin-Based Polyurethanes.

摘要

Cyclodextrins are ring-shaped molecules containing an apolar cavity with a diameter 4-8 A wide and approximately 8 A deep. Because of the hydrophilic nature of the surface, the materials are readily dispersed in water. However, hydrophobic groups on the inner surface of the nanoporous molecules attract hydrophobic organics that bind noncovalently to the apolar cavity. Recently, polycyclodextrins have been developed as binders for energetic materials and as sorbants for biological materials, and exhibit potential for development as sorbant materials for water filtration. Studies using these polymers have been reported in the literature and show that the polycyclodextrins are very effective scavengers of organic contaminants in water. Our work expands on the use of cyclodextrins in polymers through the synthesis of several organic cyclodextrin-based polymers. These filtering materials have been shown to scavenge several different kinds of contaminants up to parts per million concentrations from water. Some neutron work has been done to try to ascertain the nature of capture of these contaminants.