PREPARATION OF STRONG CATION EXCHANGE RESIN ON THE BASE OF STYRENE - DIVINYLBENZENE COPOLYMER FOR WATER TREATMENT

The aim of this work was the preparation of mechanically and chemically resistant polymer sorbent based on the poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) that was further functionalized to a strong acid cation exchange resin. The preparation of the resin is divided into two steps - suspension polymerization of the polymeric beads and subsequent chemical functionalization. Suspension polymerization was carried out in a heated reactor where mixture of monomers with initiator were dispersed in a solution of a suspension stabilizing agent. The viscosity of solution of monomers was controlled by addition of linear polystyrene. The polymer droplets were cured into sub-500 mu m spherical beads, which are insoluble in water and organic solvents. The functionalization was performed by sulfonation in sulfuric acid or chlorosulfonation in chlorosulfuric acid. The sorption capacity of the prepared strong cation exchange resins was ascertained with the sorption of cadmium and zinc ions from aqueous solution in batch experiments. The sorption capacity of prepared strong cation exchange resin prepared by optimal conditions is comparable to commercial resins (around 2meq/L).