THE UPTAKE OF METAL IONS BY NaOH-TREATED PHEME

Abstract

This thesis work is aimed to modify 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (PHEMA) hydrogels and to improve its property. The approach includes the treatment of PHEMA with aqueous NaOH. The basic hydrolysis condition creates hydrogel with CO2H groups in addition to the original OCH2CH2OH groups. The presence of CO2 was identified by Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The swelling property was examined and it is found that the modified hydrogel not only uptakes metal ions, such as Cu(II) and Ni(II), but also retains them.