Porous Polymeric Adsorbents for Water Purification
A central focus of our research is the design of high-surface-area porous polymers derived from biomass feedstocks, particularly β-cyclodextrin, for the rapid and selective removal of contaminants from water. By crosslinking β-cyclodextrin with rigid monomers, we create permanently mesoporous polymer networks with adsorption kinetics that far surpass conventional activated carbons. These materials are synthesized from cost-effective monomers and are regenerated by simple solvent washing. Our discoveries led to the founding of CycloPure, Inc., a start-up that has grown into one of the world’s top-10 companies in PFAS water treatment technologies.