The influence of ion exchange in zeolite X on the properties of phenol-formaldehyde composites

Abstract

This work focused on the influence of ion exchange in the zeolite X structure on the properties of composites with phenol-formaldehyde resin. Four types of zeolites X with mono and divalent cations were prepared and used as fillers in phenolic composites. The results obtained using energy dispersive spectrometry confirm the effectiveness of ion exchange. Analysis of materials with several techniques indicates no differences between individual zeolites. The influence of ion exchange is visible only in the parameters determined by inverse gas chromatography. The ability for dispersive and acid-base interactions described by these parameters is significantly different for zeolites with monovalent cations than divalent cations: generally, zeolites with monovalent cations are characterized by more active surfaces and higher acidity. The material with the highest flexural strength was the composite with the sodium form of zeolite. The influence of cation type on cross-linking and thermal stability of phenolic composites was also noted.