TRACTION OF COPPER AND ZINC IONS WITH POLYMETHACRYLIC ACID (PMA)

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1974-04
Authors
EMMANUEL, GBADEBO KOLAWOLE
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Abstract
The interaction between polymethacrylic acid (PMA) and divalent metal ions has been studied at 25 oC and. varying conditions of ionic strength, polymer concentration, cation concentration and degree of ionization by different experimental techniques. The experimental techniques used were conductance measurements, viscometric t i t r a t i o n , spectrophotometric t i t r a t i o n , dialysis equilibrium, potentiometric t i t r a - tion and light scattering. Data from different experimental methods reveal that both copper and zinc interact quite strongly with preionized PMA to form complexes. Copper has been found to he a stronger hinder than zinc. Copper ions bind PMA to form complexes involving four, two and one carboxylate groups per copper ion while zinc forms complexes involving two and one carhoxylate groups per zinc ion. FMA molecules exist in t i g h t l y coiled state when unneutralized or at low degrees of ionization (0.1>α). The ionized molecules undergo a configurations! trans i t i o n in the range 0.1 < α <0.27. The t r a n s i t i o n is completed at a = 0.27. Maximum chain extension has been achieved at 70% n e u t r a l i z a t i o n . The uncoiling of the polymer molecule has been attributed to strong e l e c t r o s t a t i c repulsive forces between the charged carboxylate groups along the polymer backbone. The uncoiling of the compact PMA molecules is a single-step process. It has been established that some experimental techniques used were more sensitive than others. With conductance measurements, spectrophotometry and potentiometric t i t r a t i o n s it is quite possible to detect almost all types of complex species present in M2+ -PMA systems with their corresponding co-ordination numbers, while viscometric t i t r a t i o n s and d i a l y s i s equilibrium will only detect the most stable complex formed and the corresponding co-ordination number. The r e s u l t s presented in chapter 4 for spectrophotometries t i t r a t i o n s show that Cu2+-FMA complexes are charge-transfer complexes. In chapter 5, equations were derived for M2+ PMA systems to enable the author t o c a l c u l a t e the s t a b i l i ty c o n s t a n t s and the c o - o r d i n a t i o n numbers of complexes formed. These e q u a t i o n s were t e s t e d g r a p h i c a l l y and t h e r e was s a t i s f a c t o r y agreement between t h e o r y and e x p e r i m e n t . It was found t h a t , on t h e a v e r a g e , each c a t i o n formed complexes i n v o l v i n g two c a r b o x y l a t e groups per metal ion and t h a t t h e mode of b i n d i n g could be e i t h e r i n t r a m o l e c u l a r l y or i n t r a m o l e c u l a r l y depending on the i o n i c s t r e n g t h and d e g r e e of i o n i z a t i o n ( a ). I t has been shown c o n v i n c i n g l y in c h a p t e r 6 t h at t h e acid d i s s o c i a t i o n c o n s t a n t Ka is not a c o n s t a n t but a function of a. Potentiometric behaviour of PMA in t h e absence and in the presence of d i v a l e n t c a t i o ns has been d i s c u s s e d in l i g h t of double l a y e r e f f e ct and a l s o in l i g h t of t h e e m p i r i c a l e q u a t i o n s developed for calculating [coo-]bound and [M2+]bound. Light s c a t t e r i n g s t u d i e s confirm t h a t at low d e g r e e s of i o n i z a t i o n a dimer is formed in t h e p r e s e n ce of Cu2 + and Zn2 + ions because the molecular weight is a p p r o x i m a t e l y doubled. This s u g g e s t s t h a t the most l i k e l y mode of b i n d i n g is i n t e r m o l e c u l a r l y . Light s c a t t e r i n g s t u d i e s a l s o confirm t h a t p a r t i a l ly i o n i z e d PMA m o l e c u l e s e x i s t in random c o i l s. Finally in chapter 8, the results obtained from different chapters are compared and the interpretation and deductions made are found to corroborate. Cumulative constants 3 have been calculated for the various complex species in the reaction mixture.
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Dissertation presented to The Ahmadu Bello University for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the Faculty of Science BY EMMANUEL GBADEBO KOLAWOLE Department of Chemistry Ahmadu B e l l o U n i v e r s i ty Z a r i a . A p r i l , 1974
Keywords
COPPER,, POLYMETHACRYLIC,, ACID (PMA),, ZINC IONS
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