PSf/D2EHPA/CNT beads were prepared by immobilizing di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) and carbon nanotubes (CNT) on polysulfone (PSf) and used to remove Cu(II) from aqueous solutions. Optimum pH was in the range of 4 to 6. The removal kinetic of Cu(II) by the prepared PSf/D2EHPA/CNT beads was mainly governed by internal diffusion, and the diffusion coefficient of Cu(II) by PSf/D2EHPA/CNT beads was found to be 2.19×10-4∼2.64×10-4 cm2/s. The Langmuir isotherm model predicted the experimented data well. The maximum removal capacity of Cu(II) obtained from this isotherm was 7.32 mg/g. Calculated thermodynamic parameters such as ΔGo, ΔHo and ΔSo showed that the adsorption of Cu(II) ions onto PSf/D2EHPA/CNT beads was feasible, spontaneous and endothermic at 293–323 K.

The feasibility of PS-D2EHPA/TBP beads prepared by immobilizing two extractants D2EHPA and TBP in polysulfone to remove Sr(II) from aqueous solution was investigated in batch system. Batch experiments were carried out to study equilibrium isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamics. Equilibrium data were fitted using Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich– Peterson, and Dubinin-Radushkevich equation models at temperatures of 298 K, 313 K, and 328 K. The removal capacity of Sr(II) by PS-D2EHPA/TBP beads obtained from Langmuir model was 2.41 mg/g at 298 K. The experimental data were well represented by pseudo-second-order model. The removal process of Sr(II) by PS-D2EHPA/TBP beads prepared in this study was found to be feasible, endothermic, and spontaneous.

The solid-phase extractant PS-D2EHPA/TBP was prepared by immobilizing two extractants D2EHPA and TBP in polysulfone (PS). The prepared PS-D2EHPA/TBP was characterized by using fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The removal of Cu(II) from aqueous solution was investigated in batch system. The experiment data were obeyed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Equilibrium data were well fitted by Langmuir model and the removal capacity of Cu(II) by solid extractant PS-D2EHPA/TBP obtained from Langmuir model was 3.11 mg/g at 288 K. The removal capacity of Cu(II) was increased according to increasing pH from 2 to 6, but the removal capacity was decreased below pH 3 remarkably.