Effect of the Preparation Conditions on Polyvinyl Chloride/Aliquat-336 Microspheres’ Efficiency: Optimization Using Surface Response Methodology

Abstract

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/Aliquat-336 microspheres were prepared with the phase inversion method and optimized for red Cibacron dye adsorption. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to maximize the adsorption capacity. The optimized parameters were the PVC fraction in the dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent, the Aliquat-336/polymer ratio, and the volume fraction of ethanol in the water coagulation bath. The model significant parameters found were the Aliquat-336/polymer ratio and the ethanol volume fraction. The maximum adsorption of 73.7425 mg g⁻¹ was obtained by optimization with an Aliquat-336/PVC mass ratio of 1.5 and an ethanol volume fraction of 0.0934. This theoretical maximum adsorption capacity was confirmed with the experimental one, which had a close value of about 70.25 mg g⁻¹. Both intraparticle and interparticle diffusion mechanisms controlled the adsorption kinetics, and the equilibrium adsorption time was established as 180 min.

Keywords:

• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
• Aliquat-336
• phase inversion
• microspheres
• response surface methodology (RSM)
• adsorption

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.