Polypyrrole-polyethyleneimine (PPy-PEI) nanocomposite: an effective adsorbent for nickel ion adsorption from aqueous solution

In order to use nitrogen atoms in polymers as the active adsorption sites for heavy metal ions, an effort has been made to couple polyethyleneimine, a water soluble polymer with polypyrrole, a conjugated polymer for nickel ion adsorption from aqueous solution due to a large number of nitrogen atoms available in the prepared water insoluble polypyrrole-polyethyleneimine (PPy-PEI) polymer nanocomposite. The BET surface area and average particle size of the prepared PPy-PEI nanocomposites were found to be 17 m2/g and ∼ 18–34 nm, respectively. TGA and DSC were used to study the thermal behavior of the composites. The nickel ion adsorption efficiency shown by pristine polypyrrole was found to be 42%, while a much higher adsorption efficiency of 99.8% was observed…