Synthesis & Characterization of Porous Organic Polymers for Metal Capture

This project aims to design, synthesize, and characterize novel porous organic polymers (POPs) functionalized with specific chemical groups for the selective capture of high-value metal ions (lithium, uranium, rare-earth elements, precious metals) from aqueous solutions. The intern will explore various polymerization techniques to create materials with high surface area and porosity. The synthesized polymers will be rigorously characterized using techniques such as BET surface area analysis, FT-IR, SEM, and TGA. Their performance will be evaluated through batch adsorption experiments to determine key parameters like adsorption capacity, selectivity in multi-metal solutions, kinetics, and reusability. The ultimate goal is to develop an efficient, sustainable, and reusable platform for applications in wastewater treatment and strategic metal recovery.

• A comprehensive literature review on existing porous polymers and their application in metal sequestration.
• A laboratory notebook with detailed, date-wise records of all synthesis procedures, modifications, and experimental observations
• A portfolio of characterized materials

• A quantitative performance report
• A final written report and presentati