Impact of Coating Polysulfides onto Solid Supports on Metal Binding
Faculty Mentor Information
Dr. Courtney Jenkins, Idaho State University
Presentation Date
7-15-2026
Abstract
Inverse vulcanization is an emerging field that flips the premise of vulcanization, which uses small amounts of sulfur to strengthen an already existing polymer, and manipulates it such that elemental sulfur is the primary component of the polymer. Inverse vulcanization uses green chemistry principles by avoiding solvents and having a high atom economy, meaning it generates less waste. These polymers have shown exceptional metal binding properties. As it stands, there is no cost-effective, low-energy, and highly selective method for extracting heavy metals from wastewater. As part of the low-energy solution process, catalysts have been added to lower the time and heat needed to form these polymers. This project aims to determine how binding inverse vulcanized polymer s to a solid support changes their ability to extract heavy metals from wastewater. This project focuses on how solid supports, such as carbon black and silica, alter metal binding through their increased surface area. This project has identified polymers capable of extracting ~99% of gold, mercury, silver, and copper from a metal solution. It has also been shown that the polymers bind metals, whereas the polymers coated on solid supports yield mixed results.
Impact of Coating Polysulfides onto Solid Supports on Metal Binding
Inverse vulcanization is an emerging field that flips the premise of vulcanization, which uses small amounts of sulfur to strengthen an already existing polymer, and manipulates it such that elemental sulfur is the primary component of the polymer. Inverse vulcanization uses green chemistry principles by avoiding solvents and having a high atom economy, meaning it generates less waste. These polymers have shown exceptional metal binding properties. As it stands, there is no cost-effective, low-energy, and highly selective method for extracting heavy metals from wastewater. As part of the low-energy solution process, catalysts have been added to lower the time and heat needed to form these polymers. This project aims to determine how binding inverse vulcanized polymer s to a solid support changes their ability to extract heavy metals from wastewater. This project focuses on how solid supports, such as carbon black and silica, alter metal binding through their increased surface area. This project has identified polymers capable of extracting ~99% of gold, mercury, silver, and copper from a metal solution. It has also been shown that the polymers bind metals, whereas the polymers coated on solid supports yield mixed results.