An ion-exchange process with thermal regeneration. III. Properties of weakly acidic ion-exchange resins

Abstract

A series of cross-linked poly(acrylic acid) and poly(methacrylic acid) resins has been synthesized. Their titration curves, and those of similar commercial resins, show that at c. 20º the pH value at half neutralization may be varied within about one unit by using acrylic or methacrylic acid monomers, or by changing the degree of cross-linking. The titration curves of such resins do not have a pronounced plateau although the acidity is due only to carboxyl groups. Resins with flatter titration curves can be made by copolymerizing acrylic or methacrylic acids with methyl methacrylate. Copolymerization reduces the effective acid strength of carboxylic acid resins but does not always produce a resin with a flatter titration curve. The effects of salt concentration, calcium ions, and temperature on the titration curves of a poly(acry1ic acid) resin have been studied. Heating the resins in a salt solution from c. 20 to 80º decreases their effective acidity slightly. A bigger reduction in acidity with heating is observed with several polymers in which a "snake" polymer, such as a poly(ethy1ene oxide), is incorporated within a cross-linked poly(acrylic acid) resin cage.