Synthesis of a Polymer Composite Based on a Modified Aminohumic Acid Tuned to a Sorbed Copper Ion

A composite based on amino-containing humic acid with the immobilization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes preliminarily tuned to a copper ion has been obtained. The synthesis of a composite pre-tuned for sorption by the local arrangement of macromolecular regions was obtained by introducing multi-walled carbon nanotubes and a molecular template into the composition of humic acid, followed by copolycondensation with acrylic acid amide and formaldehyde. The template was removed from the polymer network by acid hydrolysis. As a result of this tuning, the macromolecules of the composite “remember” conformations that are favorable for sorption, i.e., adsorption centers are formed in the polymer network of the composite, capable of repeated, highly specific interaction with the template and the highly selective extraction of target molecules from the solution. The reaction was controlled by the added amine and by the content of oxygen-containing groups. The structure and composition of the resulting composite were proven by physicochemical methods. A study of the sorption properties of the composite showed that after acid hydrolysis, the capacity increased sharply compared to a similar composite without tuning and a composite before hydrolysis. The resulting composite can be used as a selective sorbent in the process of wastewater treatment.