Nickel(II)‐imprinted monolithic columns for selective nickel recognition

Ni²⁺‐imprinted monolithic column was prepared for the removal of nickel ions from aqueous solutions. N‐Methacryloyl‐L ‐histidine was used as a complexing monomer for Ni²⁺ ions in the preparation of the Ni²⁺‐imprinted monolithic column. The Ni²⁺‐imprinted poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐N‐methacryloyl‐L ‐histidine) (PHEMAH) monolithic column was synthesized by bulk polymerization. The template ion (Ni²⁺) was removed with a 4‐(2‐pyridylazo) resorcinol (PAR):NH₃? NH₄Cl solution. The water‐uptake ratio of the PHEMAH–Ni²⁺ monolith increased compared with PHEMAH because of the formation of nickel‐ion cavities in the polymer structure. The adsorption of Ni²⁺ ions on both the PHEMAH–Ni²⁺ and PHEMAH monoliths were studied. The maximum adsorption capacity was 0.211 mg/g for the PHEMAH–Ni²⁺ monolith. Fe³⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺ ions were used as competitive species in the selectivity experiments. The PHEMAH–Ni²⁺ monolithic column was 268.8, 25.5, and 10.4 times more selective than the PHEMAH monolithic column for the Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe³⁺ ions, respectively. The PHEMAH–Ni²⁺ monolithic column could be used repeatedly without a decrease in the Ni²⁺ adsorption capacity. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Sol‐Gel Materials for High Capacity,Rapid Removal of Metal Contaminants

Abstract

An environmental waste remediation method is presented where porous cylindrical monoliths are interposed as septa between a solution contaminated with metal ions and a solution of a precipitant. Precipitant and contaminant diffuse and generate precipitate nano‐ and micro‐particles inside the monoliths. Two types of silica sol‐gel monoliths were tested. One class of materials was prepared following a conventional base‐catalyzed route which yielded fragile silica monoliths with pore diameters on the order of 7–10 nm. A second class of materials material consisted of templated silica macroporous monoliths that were cross‐linked with diisocyanate. These materials had pore diameters on the order of microns and were mechanically extremely strong, having a Young modulus in excess of 400 MPa. Both types of silica gel monoliths proved very versatile, and allowed to precipitate a wide variety of metal ions, including toxic metals such as Cd²⁺, and fission by‐products such as lanthanides and Sr²⁺. The capacity of the gel monoliths was also very high, at least 20 times higher than the capacity of conventional derivatized gels. Most importantly, precipitation inside the macroporous gels was a factor 7–8 more rapid than in microporous gels. The results indicate that macroporous cross‐linked sol‐gel monoliths are a promising material for the development of efficient, mechanically strong filter elements for environmental remediation.     

Synthesis and separation properties for Cu(II)‐Ni(II) of macroporous crosslinked polystyrene‐supported triethylenetetramine resin using Cu(II) as template

A new method for preparing a novel macroporous chelating resin that has good adsorption capability for Cu(II) and high selectivity for it with the coexistence of Ni(II) was introduced in this article. First, the aminated resin (PS‐TETA) was synthesized by the reaction of crosslinked macroporous chloromethylated polystyrene with triethylenetetramine. Subsequently, PS‐TETA was coordinated with Cu(II) and then PS‐TETA‐Cu was obtained. After the crosslinking reaction of PS‐TETA‐Cu with epoxy chloropropane, the adsorbed Cu(II) was removed by chlorhydric acid, and then the target resin‐Cu(II) template triethylenetetramine crosslinked polystyrene resin was obtained. The selectively sorption tests for Cu(II) showed that the sorption capacity was as high as 1.6 mmol/g and the selectivity coefficient α_{Cu(II)/Ni(II)} could reach to 9.06 with the coexistence of Ni(II). SEM and nitrogen adsorption at 77 K methods were used to characterize the porous structure of the resin. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 963–967, 2007     

Water‐sorption and metal‐uptake behavior of pH‐responsive poly (N‐acryloyl‐N′‐methylpiperazine) gels

Hydrogels based on N‐acryloyl‐N′‐methylpiperazine (AcrNMP) swelled extensively in solutions of low pH due to the protonation of the tertiary amine. The water transport in the gels under an acidic condition was non‐Fickian and nearly Fickian in neutral pH with the collective diffusion coefficients determined as 2.08 × 10⁻⁷ and 5.00 × 10⁻⁷ cm⁻² s⁻¹, respectively. These gels demonstrated good metal‐uptake behavior with various divalent metal ions, in particular, copper and nickel, with the uptake capacity increased with increasing pH. The swelling ratio of the gel in the presence of metal ions decreased with increasing metal ion uptake. The results suggest that high metal ion uptake can lead to physical crosslinking arising from the interchain metal complex formation. The metal‐loaded gels could be stripped easily with 1M H₂SO₄ without any loss in their uptake capacity. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 268–273, 2001     

Bioreactors Based on Monolith‐Supported Ionic Liquid Phase for Enzyme Catalysis in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Bioreactors with covalently supported ionic liquid phases (SILP) were prepared as polymeric monoliths based on styrene–divinylbenzene or 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate–ethylene dimethacrylate, and with imidazolium units loadings ranging from 54.7 to 39.8 % wt IL per gram of polymer. The SILPs were able to absorb Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB), leading to highly efficient and robust heterogeneous biocatalysts. The bioreactors were prepared as macroporous monolithic mini‐flow systems and tested for the continuous flow synthesis of citronellyl propionate in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) by transesterification. The catalytic activity of these mini‐flow‐bioreactors remained practically unchanged for seven operational cycles of 5 h each in different supercritical conditions. The best results were obtained when the most hydrophobic monolith, M‐SILP‐ 8 ‐CALB, was assayed at 80 °C and 10 M Pa, reaching a total turnover number (TON) of 35.8×10⁴ mol product/mol enzyme. The results substantially exceeded those obtained for packed‐bed reactors with supported silica‐CALB‐Si‐4 catalyst under the same experimental conditions.     

Immobilization of catalase onto hydrophilic mesoporous poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol) monoliths

Poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol) monoliths have been fabricated by a thermally induced phase separation method. Catalase was immobilized onto the monolith surfaces after activating the hydroxyl groups of the monolith in the presence of carbonyldiimidazole. The immobilized catalase exhibited the same optimum pH and temperature values to those of the free catalase. In addition, the immobilized catalase showed better thermal stability and high reusability. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42556.     

Ion‐imprinted PHEMA based monolith for the removal of Fe3+ ions from aqueous solutions

Molecular recognition based Fe³⁺ imprinted monolith was prepared for selective removal of Fe³⁺ ions from aqueous solutions. The precomplexation was achieved by the coordination of Fe³⁺ ions with N‐methacryloyl‐(L )‐cysteine methyl ester (MAC) to form the complex monomer (MAC‐Fe³⁺). The polymerization step was then carried out in the presence of MAC‐Fe³⁺ complex and hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) monomer by bulk polymerization to constitude a Fe³⁺‐imprinted polymer (PHEMAC‐Fe³⁺). The specific surface area of PHEMAC‐Fe³⁺ monolith was found to be 35.2 m²/g, with a swelling ratio of 60.2% after the template was removed from the monolith by 0.1M EDTA solution. The maximum adsorption capacity of PHEMAC‐Fe³⁺ monolith for Fe³⁺ ion was 0.76 mg/g. The adsorption behavior of the monolith has been successfully described by the Langmuir isotherm. It was determined that the relative selectivity of PHEMAC‐Fe³⁺ monolith was 59.7 and 37.0 times greater than that of the nonimprinted PHEMAC monolith as compared with the Cd²⁺ and Ni²⁺ ions, respectively. The PHEMAC‐Fe³⁺ monolith was recovered and reused many times without any significant decrease in its adsorption capacity. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Membrane reactor immobilized with palladium‐loaded polymer nanogel for continuous‐flow Suzuki coupling reaction

A catalytic membrane reactor, which was immobilized with palladium‐loaded nanogel particles (NPs), was developed for continuous‐flow Suzuki coupling reaction. Palladium‐loaded membranes were prepared by immobilization of NPs, adsorption of palladium ions, and reduction into palladium(0). The presence of palladium in the membrane was confirmed by the scanning electron microscopy; palladium aggregation was not observed. The catalytic activity of the membrane reactor in continuous‐flow Suzuki coupling reaction was approximately double that of a comparable reactor in which palladium ions were directly adsorbed onto an aminated membrane. This was attributed to the formation of small palladium particles. The reusability in the continuous‐flow system was higher than that in a batch system, and the palladium‐loaded membrane reactor had high long‐term stability. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 582–589, 2015     

Permeability of silica monoliths containing micro- and nano-pores

For applications as catalyst supports in flow reactors, porous silica monoliths require a combination of connected pores of micron-scale to enable fluid flow plus nm-scale pores to enable high catalyst area and activity. We have synthesised a range porous silica monoliths, characterised their micron and nm-scale pores and measured their permeability coefficients K. K can be controlled over the range 10⁻¹⁰–10⁻¹⁴ m², primarily by adjustment of the polymer/silane concentration ratio, whilst maintaining the specific surface area and nm-scale porosity approximately constant. For the majority of the silica monolith samples, the measured permeability coefficient K is 2–5 times smaller than K for a hypothetical reference system consisting of a monolith with uniform cylindrical pores aligned in the flow direction and with the same average pore diameter and volume fraction.     

Effect of Surface Modification on the Synthesis of Pore‐Filling Polymeric Monoliths in Microfiltration Membranes Made from Poly(propylene) and Poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The effect of pre‐modification on the interaction of macroporous substrates (membranes) with mainly micro‐ and mesoporous polymer monoliths has been studied. Bulk, porous polymer monoliths were synthesized to optimize the synthesis conditions and their pore morphology, and the data were used as benchmark for this study. Pre‐modification of the entire pore surface of PP microfiltration membranes and PET track‐etched membranes by UV‐initiated grafting with PEGMA was performed using well‐established methods, including coating with the photo‐initiator, benzophenone. Subsequently, these membranes were functionalized by filling the pores with porous polymer monoliths from MAA and EDMA and compared with membranes that had been functionalized without the pre‐modification step. The materials were characterized mainly by the degree of grafting, SEM and by the gas‐adsorption‐isotherm method. The DG values, after composite‐membrane preparation under identical conditions, were not influenced by the pre‐modification. However, it could be clearly seen from the SEM images that the pre‐modification step prevents the formation of voids at the monolith‐membrane pore interface. Larger specific surface area and pore volume values for composite membranes, prepared after pre‐modification, fully support the SEM results. Especially large differences in pore structure between the two different composite membranes were found in the mesopore range. The results of this study indicate that it is possible to prepare porous, composite membranes where the trans‐membrane transport is exclusively controlled by the pore and surface structure of a functional polymeric monolith, for example, made from a molecularly‐imprinted polymer.

     

Preparation and coordination with Hg(II) of sulfur‐ and 2‐amino‐pyridine‐containing chelating resin

A novel chelating resin anchoring 2‐amino‐pyridine on macroporous crosslinked polystyrene beads via a sulfur‐containing spacer (PVBS‐AP) has been synthesized and its structures were characterized by FTIR, scanning electron microscopy, porous structure analysis, and elementary analysis. The results of scanning electron microscopy and pores analysis demonstrated that PVBS‐AP resin had meso‐macro porous structure. Its adsorption properties for Hg(II), Pd(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), and Cd(II) were investigated. Some factors affecting the adsorption of PVBS‐AP resin for Hg(II), such as temperature, contact time, ion concentration, and pH were also studied. The results showed that the increasing of temperature was beneficial to adsorption and Langmuir model was much better than Freundlich model to describe the isothermal process. PVBS‐AP resin had good adsorption selectivity for Hg(II). It could selective adsorb Hg(II) from such binary ions system as Hg(II)‐Ni(II), Hg(II)‐Zn(II), and Hg(II)‐Pb(II), their selective coefficients are α_Hg/Ni = ∞, α_Hg/Zn = 28.1, α_Hg/Pb = ∞, respectively. Five adsorption–desorption cycles demonstrate that this resin were suitable for reuse without considerable change in adsorption capacity. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:721–727, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Synthesis of monolithic HPLC stationary phase with self‐assembled molecular recognition sites for 4‐aminophenol

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) monolith for selective recognition of 4‐aminophenol (4‐AMP) was prepared by in situ polymerization technique as high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) stationary phase. For this purpose, several 4‐AMP imprinted monoliths were synthesized by using only methacrylic acid (MAA), acrylamide (AAM), or isobornyl methacrylate (IBMA) in the presence of high amount of crosslinker, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA), and these polymeric monolith columns were connected to HPLC to evaluate their separation capabilities. By selection of appropriate functional monomer and optimization of polymerization conditions, MAA‐based monolithic MIP showed good flow through properties, high selectivity to the templated molecule, and high resolution in the separation of paracetamol and its main impurity, 4‐AMP. Besides, effective binding site density and dissociation constant of this monolith were estimated by using frontal chromatography and found as 7.95 μmol/g and 1.06 mM, respectively. Surface area of the same monolith was found as 23.48 m²/g from multipoint BET analysis. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Synthesis,characterization, and metal complexation of poly(N‐phenylmaleimide‐co‐acrylic acid) and poly(N‐phenylmaleimide‐co‐acrylamide) as polychelatogens in aqueous solution

We carried out the free‐radical copolymerization of N‐phenylmaleimide with acrylic acid and acrylamide with an equimolar feed monomer ratio. We carried out the synthesis of the copolymers in dioxane at 70°C with benzoyl peroxide as the initiator and a total monomer concentration of 2.5M. The copolymer compositions were obtained by elemental analysis and ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy. The hydrophilic polymers were characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. Additionally, viscosimetric measurements of the copolymers were performed. Hydrophilic poly(N‐phenylmaleimide‐co‐acrylic acid) and poly(N‐phenylmaleimide‐co‐acrylamide) were used for the separation of a series of metal ions in the aqueous phase with the liquid‐phase polymer‐based retention method in the heterogeneous phase. The method is based on the retention of inorganic ions by the polymer in conjunction with membrane filtration and subsequent separation of low‐molecular‐mass species from the formed polymer/metal‐ion complex. The polymer could bind several metal ions, such as Cr(III), Co (II), Zn(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), and Fe(III) inorganic ions, in aqueous solution at pH values of 3, 5, and 7. The interaction of the inorganic ions with the hydrophilic polymer was determined as a function of pH and a filtration factor. Hydrophilic polymeric reagents with strong metal‐complexing properties were synthesized and used to separate those complexed from noncomplexed ions in the heterogeneous phase. The polymers exhibited a high retention capability at pH values of 5 and 7. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2006     

Metal‐chelating properties of poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate–methacryloylamidohistidine) membranes

Metal‐chelating membranes have advantages as adsorbents in comparison with conventional beads because they are not compressible and they eliminate internal diffusion limitations. The aim of this study was to explore in detail the performance of poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate–methacryloylamidohistidine) [poly(HEMA–MAH)] membranes for the removal of three toxic heavy‐metal ions—Cd(II), Pb(II), and Hg(II)—from aquatic systems. The poly(HEMA–MAH) membranes were characterized with scanning electron microscopy and ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy. The adsorption capacity of the poly(HEMA–MAH) membranes for the selected heavy‐metal ions from aqueous media containing different amounts of these ions (30–500 mg/L) and at different pH values (3.0–7.0) was investigated. The adsorption capacity of the membranes increased with time during the first 60 min and then leveled off toward the equilibrium adsorption. The maximum amounts of the heavy‐metal ions adsorbed were 8.2, 31.5, and 23.2 mg/g for Cd(II), Pb(II), and Hg(II), respectively. The competitive adsorption of the metal ions was also studied. When the metal ions competed, the adsorbed amounts were 2.9 mg of Cd(II)/g, 14.8 mg of Pb(II)/g, and 9.4 mg of Hg(II)/g. The poly(HEMA–MAH) membranes could be regenerated via washing with a solution of nitric acid (0.01M). The desorption ratio was as high as 97%. These membranes were suitable for repeated use for more than three adsorption/desorption cycles with negligible loss in the adsorption capacity. The stability constants for the metal‐ion/2‐methacryloylamidohistidine complexes were calculated to be 3.47 × 10⁶, 7.75 × 10⁷, and 2.01 × 10⁷ L/mol for Cd(II), Pb(II), and Hg(II) ions, respectively, with the Ruzic method. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 1213–1219, 2005     

Poly(2‐) and (3‐aminobenzoic acids) and their copolymers with aniline: Synthesis,characterization, and properties

Poly(2‐aminobenzoic acid) and poly(3‐aminobenzoic acid) were synthesized by chemical polymerization of the respective monomers with aqueous 1M hydrochloric acid and 0.49M sodium hydroxide, using ammonium persulfate as an oxidizing agent. In addition, polymerization in an acid medium was carried out in the presence of metal ions, such as Cu(II), Ni(II), and Co(II). Poly(2‐aminobenzoic acid‐co‐aniline) and poly(3‐aminobenzoic acid‐co‐aniline) were synthesized by chemical copolymerization of aniline with 2‐ and 3‐aminobenzoic acids, respectively, in aqueous 1M hydrochloric acid. The copolymers were synthesized at several mole fractions of aniline in the feed and characterized by UV–visible and FTIR spectroscopy, the thermal stability, and the electrical conductivity. Metal ions, such as Cu(II), Ni(II), and Co(II), were incorporated into homo‐ and copolymers by the batch method. The percentage of metal ions in the polymers was higher in the copolymers than in the homopolymers. The thermal stability of the copolymers increased as the feed mole fraction of aniline decreased and varied with the incorporation of metal ions in the polymers. The electrical conductivity of the homo‐ and copolymers was measured, which ranged between 10^?3 and 10^?10 S cm^?1. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 2641–2648, 2003     

Metal ion retention properties of poly(acrylic acid) and poly[N‐3‐(dimethylamino)propyl acrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid]

The crosslinked resins poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly[N‐3‐(dimethylamino)propyl acrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid] [P(NDAPA‐co‐AA)] are obtained by radical polymerization and characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. PAA at basic pH exists basically as an acrylate anion that may contain end carboxylate groups or form bridges acting as mono‐ or bidentate ligands. P(NDAPA‐co‐AA) presents three potential ligand groups in its structure: carboxylic acid, amide, and amine. The trace metal ion retention properties of these two resins is compared by using the batch equilibrium procedure. The metal ions are contained in saline aqueous solutions and are found in natural seawater. The retention of Cu(II), Pb(II), Cd(II), and Ni(II) metal ions is studied under competitive and noncompetitive conditions. The effects on the pH, contact time, amount of adsorbent, temperature, and salinity are investigated. The PAA resin presents a high affinity (>80%) for Cu(II) and Cd(II) ions. The P(NDAPA‐co‐AA) resin shows a high affinity for Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions. With 4M HNO₃ it is possible to completely recover the PAA resin charged with Cu(II) ions and the P(NDAPA‐co‐AA) resin charged with Pb(II) ions. The two resins show a high affinity for Cd(II) ions from the seawater containing Cu(II) and Cd(II) ions. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 1385–1394, 2005     

A General Approach to Substituted Benzimidazoles and Benzoxazoles via Heterogeneous Palladium‐Catalyzed Hydrogen‐Transfer with Primary Amines

The synthesis of benzimidazoles starting from o‐phenylenediamines and amines in the presence of palladium on charcoal as catalyst is reported. Under microwave dielectric heating it is possible to use a tertiary, a secondary, and even a primary amine as the substrate for a palladium‐mediated process to get 2‐substituted or 1,2‐disubstituted benzimidazoles, depending on the nature of the o‐phenylenediamine employed. Primary amines are the most suitable reagents for the atom economy of the overall process that resulted to be general as several different substituted benzimidazoles were obtained in good yield. Benzoxazoles can be also prepared starting from primary amines and o‐aminophenol. The reaction is also highly selective as no (poly)‐alkylated phenylenediamines or cross‐contaminated benzimidazoles are obtained starting from N‐monoalkylphenylenediamines. This behavior was interpreted as a scarce aptitude to dehydrogenation of the methylene bonded to the aromatic NH of N‐alkylarylamines. The experiments carried out consent to draw an almost complete picture of the reaction pathways occurring during the process. The catalyst can be recycled several times and, although far from optimal performances, catalyst TON=90 is encouraging for further large‐scale optimization protocols. In addition, the palladium on charcoal‐catalyzed microwave‐assisted reaction of o‐phenylenediamine gives de‐alkylation of tertiary amines and transformation into the secondary ones.     

Synthesis and application of spherical macroporous epoxy–polyamide chelating resin for preconcentration and separation of trace Ga(III), In(III), Bi(III), V(V), Cr(III), and Ti(IV) from solution samples

An ICP‐AES method using a new spherical macroporous epoxy–polyamide chelating resin to enrich and separate trace Ga(III), In(III), Bi(III), V(V), Cr(III), and Ti(IV) ions from solution samples is established. The results show that the analyzed ions can be enriched quantitatively by 0.1 g of the resin at pH 4, with recoveries > 98%. The ions can be desorbed quantitatively with 10 mL of 2M HCl from the resin column with recoveries > 96%, and 100–1000‐fold excesses of Ca(II), Mg(II), Fe(III), Cu(II), Zn(II), Al(III), Ni(II), and Mn(II) cause little interference in the determination of these ions by ICP‐AES. The chelating resin is reused for ten times; the recoveries of these ions are still over 95%. The relative standard deviations for enrichment and determination of 100 ng ml^?1 Ga(III), In(III), and Bi(III), 10 ng ml^?1 V(V), Cr(III), and Ti(IV) are in the range 0.6–2.3%. The concentration of each ion found in the real wastewater sample and alloy sample is in good agreement with the values provided by the plant. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 2330–2334, 2005     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(o‐ and m‐amino benzyl amine) and the copolymers with aniline. Study with Cu(II)

Poly(o‐amino benzyl amine), poly(m‐amino benzyl amine), and the copolymers with aniline were synthesized in 10^?4M HCl by using ammonium persulfate as oxidizing agent. The copolymers were synthesized at various feed mole fractions of comonomer diamine and characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy, and electrical conductivity. The polymerization yield depended on the substituent position in the aromatic ring. Copper ion was incorporated in the polymers and the amount depended on the side groups position in the aromatic ring. The thermal stability increased when copper ions and aniline units were incorporated in the polymers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 31–36, 2004     

Metal‐solvating and self‐association of amphiphilic polyamides containing poly(oxyethylene) blocks

An amphiphilic poly(ether amide) consisting of hydrophilic poly(oxyethylene) amide blocks was prepared from the copolymerization of sebacic acid and two poly(oxyalkylene) diamines including a poly(oxyethylene) diamine (POE‐amine at 2000 M_w) and a poly(oxypropylene) diamine (POP‐amine at 230 M_w). The copolymer was estimated to have an average molecular weight of 15,000 M_w (GPC) or approximately three hydrophilic POE segments per strain. The presence of POE segments rendered polymer hydrophilicity and complexing ability for Li⁺, K⁺, Ca⁺², Ni⁺², Pd⁺², and Cu⁺² salts. In particular, lithium perchlorate affected the copolymer to the greatest extent in enhancing electrostatic dissipation or reducing surface resistivity as low as 10^5.0 Ω/sq (cross‐sectional area) at 1/180 Li⁺/EO from 10^7.2 Ω/sq (without metal ion). In such a metal complexation, the copolymer showed a new POE segmental crystalline phase at a melting temperature between ?10.4 and ?14°C, accompanied with the metal‐free original phase of ?31°C. In static toluene/water, the metal ions had no effect on the copolymer surfactancy in lowering the interfacial tension, reaching 4.4 dyn/cm at a critical micelle concentration (cmc) of 0.01 wt %. When mixing toluene and water, the lithium or nickel ions were found to be detrimental to the emulsifying process. Without the metal ion, fine droplets at average sizes of 4.5–5.0 μm were observed in the copolymer/ toluene/water emulsification. These amphiphilic behaviors of the POE‐segmented polyamide with or without metal ions were explained by the competing noncovalent bonding interactions among POE/metal ion/water. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 612–621, 2002