Synthesis and properties of fluorosilane treated nano-Al2O3 hybrid modified styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers

Styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer (SDB) was an important hydrophobic catalyst carrier for hydrogen-water liquid-phase catalytic exchange (LPCE) technology. In this paper, nano-Al2O3 was hydrophobically modified with 1 H, 1 H, 2 H, 2 H-perfluorodecyltrimethoxysilane (HFTMS) and 1 H, 1 H, 2 H, 2 H-perfluorooctyltriMethoxysilane (PFOTMS), giving HFTMS-Al2O3 and PFOTMS-Al2O3. In order to improve the hydrophobicity and strength of SDB carrier, HFTMS-Al2O3 and PFOTMS-Al2O3 were respectively doped into SDB by suspension polymerization, providing modified SDB carriers HFTMS-Al2O3/SDB and PFOTMS-Al2O3/SDB. Results show that the modified carriers have a specific surface area of 434.613 m2/g and 423.017 m2/g, a hydrophobic angle of 146.94 degrees (close to super-hydrophobic) and 138.25 degrees (strongly hydrophobic), a compressive strength of 91.6 N and 50.7 N, and a better stability of hydrophobic property than SDB. Generally, the modified SDB carriers have very good hydrophobicity and compressive strength, which could be used for tritiated wastewater treatment.