Synthesis, characterization and analytical application of polyaniline tin(IV) molybdophosphate composite with nanocrystalline domains

Polyaniline-tin(IV)molybdophosphate nanocomposite has been synthesized by incorporating polyaniline into inorganic exchanger tin(IV)molybdophosphate. Simultaneous TGA-DTA, FTIR, XRD, HRTEM and EDS have been used to characterize this composite material. The polyaniline-tin(IV)molybdophosphate (PATMP) behaves as bifunctional and strong acid cation exchanger with IEC of 1.79 meq g− 1 for Na+ ions. Thermal analysis of the material shows that the material retains 75% of its ion-exchange capacity up to 600 °C. Adsorption behavior of metal ions in different solvents with varying concentration has also been explored. The sorption studies revealed that the material is selective for Pb(II) and Cu(II) ions. The analytical utility of the material has been explored by achieving some binary separations of metal ions on its column based on the distribution coefficients. Pb(II) and Cu(II) have been selectively removed from synthetic mixtures of Pb(II)-Mn(II), Pb(II)-Ni(II), Cu(II)-Mn(II) and Cu(II)-Ni(II).