Synthesis and adsorption properties of metal-filled polymer composites based on the dimethacrylate–cobalt ferrite system

The influence of surfactant structure on the kinetics of photoinitiated polymerization of metal-filled polymer composites in thin films up to high conversions, and on their adsorption properties toward organic dyes as wastewater pollutants, was established. Metal–polymer composites based on a polymer matrix of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TGM-3) and pre-synthesized cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CoFe2O4), which exhibit pronounced magnetic properties, were obtained by in situ UV-initiated radical polymerization using 2,2-dimethoxy-1,2-diphenylethan-1-one (IR 651). To ensure uniform distribution of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles in the polymer matrix and to increase its porosity, surfactants of different types were used during synthesis: synthetic (sodium dodecyl sulfate) and natural (rhamnolipids). Based on experimental data, the main kinetic parameters of the photopolymerization process were determined: the maximum polymerization rate at the autoacceleration stage, the corresponding conversion, the time to reach it, the optimal thickness of the photocomposition, and the influence of surfactant structure on these parameters. The synthesized metal-filled polymer composites are transparent, strong, elastic, and homogeneous in structure. The adsorption properties of the obtained films were studied in a model solution of the organic dye methylene blue. It was determined that the adsorption properties of the films are almost independent of the nature of the surfactant, and the degree of methylene blue removal reaches 90–94%, which indicates good adsorption capacity of the composites and high affinity of the adsorbent for this dye. In addition to their adsorption properties, these films are magnetically separable, which allows them to be easily removed from aqueous media and makes them promising for water-resource restoration processes.