Studies on the synthesis and physico-chemical properties of the new polymeric ion exchangers with sulphur groups

In this paper, new styrene microspheres with pendant methylenethiol or sulphonic groups are presented. The copolymer was obtained by the emulsion-suspension polymerization of aromatic tetrafunctional monomer 1,1'-bis[ 4-(2-hydroxy-3-acryloiloxypropoxy) phenyl] cyclohexane (C.DA) with styrene. This process was performed at constant mole ratio of C.DA to styrene (1:1 w/w). In order to introduce sulphur groups on the surface of the microspheres, the multistage modification was carried out. After modification very attractive methylenethiol (-CH2SH) and sulphonic (-SO3H) groups were introduced into the structure of microspheres. Elemental analysis and the spectroscopic method (attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) were used to confirm the modification reaction. Thermal stabilities and degradation behaviours of the obtained copolymers were characterized by using thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry/quadrupole mass spectrometry analyses.