Removal performance and mechanism of poly(N1,N1,N3,N3-tetraallylpropane-1,3-diaminium chloride) toward Cr(VI)

The adsorption characteristic and mechanism of poly(N1,N1,N3,N3-tetraallylpropane-1,3-diaminium chloride) (PTAPDAC) toward Cr(VI) ions were systematically investigated. Results showed that the removal efficiency of PTAPDAC toward Cr(VI) could reach above 98% at pH = 3–6. The equilibrium data of Cr(VI) adsorbed by PTAPDAC fitted the Langmuir model well, and the maximum sorption capacity deduced from the Langmuir model at 293 K was 273.17 mg g−1. The adsorption of PTAPDAC toward Cr(VI) was rapid and reached equilibrium within 60 min, and the adsorption kinetic process was relevant to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Moreover, the activation energy Ea was calculated as −22.505 kJ mol−1. The adsorption processes were spontaneous and exothermic driven by an increase in entropy, which involved electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, and redox reactions. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed that approximately 64.5% of Cr(VI) reduced to be Cr(III), and 24.29% of –C–NH+ deprotonated. The combination of reduced Cr(III) with tertiary amine groups resulted in a positively charged tertiary amine group, which further promoted Cr(VI) adsorption, thereby increasing the adsorption capacity of PTAPDAC toward Cr(VI). Therefore, PTAPDAC has a broad application prospect in removing Cr(VI) ions in wastewater.