Chapter 2 - Ion Exchangers, their Structure and Major Properties

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of ion exchangers, their structures and their major properties. The term ion exchange is most commonly applied to interactions including ion exchange materials. The most conventional class of such materials is functional polymers: ion exchange and chelating resins. Ion exchange is the equivalent exchange of ions between two or more ionized species located in different phases, at least one of which is an ion exchanger. The process takes place without the formation of chemical bonds. Ion exchangers are also called snake in cage materials. They consist of three-dimensional polymeric networks and physically trapped large (often linear) molecules of organic electrolytes. The main difference between polymeric ion exchangers and non-functional polymers is the presence of functional groups or functional sites in the structure, that is, the presence of functional units is the main feature of the materials discussed. There is a wide diversity of functional groups that are attached to polymeric networks to obtain ion exchange properties.