A polysulfide material was synthesized by the direct reaction of sulfur and d-limonene, by-products of the petroleum and citrus industries, respectively. The resulting material was processed into functional coatings or molded into solid devices for the removal of palladium and mercury salts from water and soil. The binding of mercury(II) to the sulfur-limonene polysulfide resulted in a color change. These properties motivate application in next-generation environmental remediation and mercury sensing.
Keywords: limonene; polysulfide; sulfur; sustainable materials; waste valorization.
© 2015 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.