Green ion–imprinted polymers

Abstract

The increasing concern over the environmental impact of traditional chemical synthesis methods has driven the need for environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives. The principles of green chemistry have been established to guide the design of products and processes that minimize hazardous substances. Molecular imprinting, a rapidly growing field, offers a powerful synergy with green chemistry, allowing for the development of effective and sustainable chemical products for the selective recognizing of both ions and molecules. However, limited research has evaluated the compatibility of ion-imprinted polymers (IIPs) with the principles of green chemistry. This chapter provides a thorough overview of environmentally friendly IIP synthesis alternatives, including the use of greener reagents (dummy templates, functional monomers, porogenic solvent). The chapter highlights the use of computer-based simulation to predict functional monomers, identify binding methods, and assess specificity and demonstrates the use of green approaches in the development of selective IIPs for applications in sensing, separation, and purification. This review aims to offer researchers a fresh outlook on ion imprinting technology and inspire further innovative developments in the field of ion separation and purification. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved including those for text and data mining AI training and similar technologies.