Stage 1 (Objectives I & II, 2022)

• we have synthesized ligands and chelates, mainly Schiff bases, that can reversibly bind metal ions;
• we have synthesized metal organic complexes from the afore mentioned ligands and chelates with the metallic ions: Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II) & Cd(II);
• we have synthesized snowman-type Janus nanoparticles (JNPs) consisting of two lobes, one coming from seed polystyrene nanoparticles PS-NPs and the other from a phase separated polymer poly(3-trimethoxysilyl)propylmethacrylate (PTSPM);
• we obtained homologous series of JNPs with varying amphiphilicity by adjusting the relative Janus lobe sizes;
• polidentated ligands, such as branched-polyethileneimine (b-PEI), were attached onto teh PTSPM Janus lobe of the JNPs (JNP-b-PEI) and we have shown that these are amphiphilic by showing their ability to lower the interfacial tension and stabilize Pickering emulsions;
• JNP-b-PEI have been utilized in the emulsification of molten wax and by cooling we obtained microspheres that are capable of binding transitional metal ions from water;
• we have syntehsized pseudoamphiphilic silica nanoparticles functionalized with certain functional groups (NP) that can also stabilize Pickering emulsions;
• wtih the silica NPs we were able to stabilize Pickering emulsions and obtain microspheres that were ion imprinted with the help of the ligand and metal-organic complexes;
• we have published one article showing that microspheres obtained from Pickering emulsions can extract ions from water.

Stage 2 (Objectives III, IV & V, 2023)

• we have synthesized several series of polymer microspheres carrying ligands utilizing the PEmPTech;
• these microspheres are capable of adsorbing metal ions from waters, and these were tested for Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II) adsorbtion from model water samples; 
• The adsorption and recovery capacity of the microsphere adsorbents is comparable with the capacity of ion imprinted material adsorbents reported in literature;
• We have also synthesized adsorbents as monoliths, blocks and composites that are capable of metal ion extractions from water;
• We have also obtained these adsorbents as films/membranes that are currently being tested for their adsorbtion capacites.

Publications:

(1) Extraction of Metal Ions by Interfacially Active Janus Nanoparticles Supported by Wax Colloidosomes Obtained from Pickering Emulsions. Pauli, O.; Honciuc, A. Nanomaterials 2022, 12, 3738. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12213738

(2) Pickering Emulsion Polymerization Technology─Toward Nanostructured Materials for Applications in Metal Ion Extractions from Wastewaters. Honciuc, A.; Solonaru, A.-M.; Honciuc, M. ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 2023, 5, 8012–8022, doi:10.1021/acsapm.3c01267.

(3) Water-Floating Hydrogel Polymer Microsphere Composites for Application in Hydrological Mining of Cu(II) Ions; Honciuc, A.; Solonaru, A.-M.; Honciuc, M.; Nanomaterials 2023, 13, doi:10.3390/nano13192619.

Conferences (international):

(1)   Fluid or Solid Ligand-Carrying Surface Nanostructured Microspheres Utilized in Extraction and Recognition of Metal Ions; A. Honciuc, A. M. Solonaru, O.I. Negru, M. Honciuc; 20th International Conference on Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies (NN23), Thessaloniki, Greece, 4-7 July 2023 (comunicare)

(2)   Pickering Emulsion Polymerization Technology (PEmPTech) Applied for Ion Imprinted Polymers; M. Honciuc, A.M. Solonaru, O.I. Negru, A. Honciuc; 20th International Conference on Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies (NN23), Thessaloniki, Greece, 4-7 July 2023 (poster)

(3)   Utilization of Polymerized Pickering Emulsions in Extraction and Recovery of Metal Ions from Waters; A. Honciuc, M. Honciuc, A.-M. Solonaru, O.-I. Negru, M. Medrihan, M. Asandulesa; 25th International Conference: Materials, Methods and Technologies, Burgas, Bulgaria, 17-20 August 2023 (comunicare)

(4)   Wastewater Treatment with Innovative Material Produced by Pickering Emulsion Polymerization Technology (PEmPTech); A. Honciuc, M. Honciuc, A.-M. Solonaru, O.-I. Negru, M. Medrihan, M. Asandulesa  32nd International Conference: Ecology and Safety, Burgas, Bulgaria, 14-17 August 2023 (comunicare)

(5)   Mitigating Pollution of Waters with Innovative Nanomaterials; M. Honciuc, A.-M. Solonaru, O.-I. Negru, A. Honciuc, M. Medrihan, M. Asandulesa 32nd International Conference: Ecology and Safety, Burgas, Bulgaria, 14-17 August 2023 (poster)

(6)   Application of Functionalized Nanoparticles in the Synthesis of Ion-Imrpinted Polymers; M. Honciuc, A.-M. Solonaru, O.-I. Negru, A. Honciuc, M. Medrihan, M. Asandulesa; 25th International Conference: Materials, Methods and Technologies, Burgas, Bulgaria, 17-20 August 2023 (poster)

Conferences (national):

(1)   Pickering Emulsion Polymerization Technology (PEmPTech) Utilized for Obtaining Ion-Imprinted Polymer Materials; M. Medrihan, A. Honciuc, V. Harabagiu, A.-M. Solonaru, O.-I. Negru, M. Honciuc, 5th Ed. IasiCHEM, Iasi, Romania, 26-27 Octombrie 2023 (comunicare)

(2)   Synthesis of Ion Imprinted Polymer Microspheres by Pickering Emulsion Polymerization Technology; O.-I. Negru, A. Honciuc, M. Honciuc, A.-M. Solonaru, M. Medrihan; 5th Ed. IasiCHEM, Iasi, Romania, 26-27 Octombrie 2023 (comunicare)

(3)   Synthesis of Polymer Microparticles and their Application in the Extraction of Heavy Metal Ions from Aqueous Environments; A.-M. Solonaru, A. Honciuc, M. Honciuc, O.-I. Negru, M. Medrihan; 5th Ed. IasiCHEM, Iasi, Romania, 26-27 Octombrie 2023 (poster)

(4)   Nanostructured polymer materials obtained from Pickering emulsion polymerization technology; M. Medrihan, A. Honciuc, V. Harabagiu, O.-I. Negru, A.-M. Solonaru, M. Honciuc; the 4th Edition of Open Door to The Future. Scientific Communications of Young Researchers, MacroYouth’2023, 17th of November 2023 (comunicare, premiul al III-lea pentru cea mai buna prezentare)