Cation and Anion Exchangers from Nanofibrous Polystyrene for Fast Water Treatment

The main goal of this study was to prepare and characterize ion exchangers on nanofibrous polystyrene matrix. Starting nanofibers were sulfonated and crosslinked at the same time by sulfuric acid. Strongly acidic cation exchanger was obtained in such a way. Anion exchanger was prepared by reaction of ethylene diamine with sulfochlorides on nanofibers acquired from sulfogroups. The polymer matrix was made from polystyrene nanofibers prepared by Nanospider TM technology from regenerated polystyrene. Various types postpolymerization reactions and other methods of crosslinking were studied. Greatly diverse behavior between nanoand microsize materials was observed. The sorption properties of nanofibrous ion exchangers were compared to the granular ion exchangers resulting in rapidly faster kinetics of fibrous ion exchangers. The starting polymer matrix was polystyrene because the common ion exchangers are based on this polymer 1,2 . The nanofibers of polystyrene were prepared by Nanospider TM technology. In principle the electrospinning by Nanospider TM is a modified process for the production of nanofibers and nanofiber layers via the electrostatic fiber spinning of polymer solutions 17 . As opposed to other methods in the public domain, Nanospider TM technology does not utilize jets or capillaries for the production of fibers, but utilizes a rotating drum partially submerged in a polymer solution. The main advantage of this technology is the significant increase in production capacity. Polystyrene nanofibers prepared by Nanospider TM technology can be spun from mixture of aromatic solvents and polar aprotic solvents. We used aromatic solvents based on the natural terpenoids 10 . These solvents are pretty cheap, ecological and environmental friendly 11 . Also we can use recycled expanded polystyrene, its foams (extruded polystyrene) or copolymers of polystyrene (like acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or maleic anhydrid) can be used as a starting material for spinning.. 20. 22. 10. 2009, Roznov pod Radhostem, Czech Republic, EU