| abstract |
In accordance with the present invention, an ion-exchange composition has been formed which comprises synthetic resin support particles, dispersant capable of suspending the support particles in an aqueous medium to inhibit or prevent agglomeration, and fine synthetic resin layering particles. In a preferred embodiment, the complex can be formed by contacting a suitable dispersant with monomer in an aqueous solution in which the monomer is insoluble. Under suitable conditions for suspension polymerization, the monomer will polymerize to form resin support particles having dispersant irreversibly attached to those particles. The dispersant is irreversibly attached to the synthetic resin support particles, either by covalent bonding or permanent physical entanglement. The dispersant is also attached to the fine layering particles, either by covalent bonding or electrostatic forces. The result is formation of a support particle-dispersant-layering particle complex. n The novel ion-exchange composition can be made by forming a synthetic resin support particle-dispersant complex in which the dispersant is irreversibly attached to the support particles. The complex can then be mixed in aqueous slurry form with fine resin layering particles under conditions suitable to form a resin support particle-dispersant-resin layering particle complex in which the resin layering particles are irreversibly attached to the dispersant. In effect, the dispersant forms an irreversible bridge between the support and layering particles. |