Synthesis and studies of phenol-formaldehyde cationic exchangers blended with sulphonated Eugenia jambolana, Lam., carbon

This paper deals with a simple method of preparing cationic resins (CRs) from polycondensation of sulphonated Eugenia jambolana, Lam carbon (SEJC) with phenol-formaldehyde resin (PFR) as a cross linking agent. A few composite ion exchangers were prepared by varying the amount of SEJC in the blends from 0 to 100% (w/w). Optimum principal reaction conditions of the preparation and the important physico-chemical, thermal and spectral properties of the composite resins have been determined. The properties of the blends are determined and compared with the parent resin without SEJC content. The synthesised resins are stable in water, organic solvents, thermal treatment and 0.2M NaOH solution. It was found that the ion-exchange capacity (IEC) or column/cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the composite resins decreased with increasing the percentage of blending PFR matrix with SEJC. Synthesised composite resins are used in the study of the possible separation of Zn2+ ions. The rational thermodynamic equilibrium constants (ln K) are calculated for Zn2+−H+ion exchanges with the composite resins having various amount of SEJC. Thermodynamic parameters are computed and described. The composites up to 30% (w/w) blending of PFR with SEJC retains almost all the essential properties of the original PFR (parent resin), since Eugenia jambolana, Lam. is a low cost and freely available plant material. Therefore, the blended composites of PFR with SEJC could be used as low cost ion exchangers when SEJC partly replaces the original PFR up to 30% (w/w) blending, without affecting the physicochemical, CEC, thermal and spectral properties of the original parent CR viz., PFR.