ION EXCHANGE

RESINS
BONILLA BUSTILLOS OSMAR ALEXIS
C O RT É S M Á R Q U E Z I VA N A M A R Í A
N AVA R R O C A L D E R A L E O N A R D O
 ION EXCHANGE CYCLE
This process consists on one
The selectivity of the ion
sorbate (a counterion) being
exchanger for one
exchanged for a solute ion,
counterionover another one
governed by a reversible,
is important as the ion
stoichiometric, chemical-
exchanger capacity.
reaction ecuation.

This type of separation Water softening with gel

process has a very wide resins in fixed beds.
range o applications:
 CYCLE OF OPERATION

2) Displace-
3) 4) Washing
1) Loading ment
Regeneration

The solute ions removed from

water in the loading stepare
mainly Ca and Mg, which are
absorbed by resin while an
equivalent amount of Na is
transferred from resin to
water.
WHAT ARE ION EXCHANGE RESINS?

Throughout the polymer matrix are ion

exchange sites, where so-called “functional
The resin itself is groups” of either positively-charged ions
composed of organic (cations) or negatively-charged ions (anions)
polymers that form a are affixed to the polymer network. These
network of hydrocarbons. functional groups readily attract ions of an
opposing charge.
WHAT ARE ION EXCHANGE RESINS?
These are very small plastic
beads, with a diameter of about
0.6 mm. These beads are porous
and contain invisible water
inside the beads, measured as
“humidity” or “moisture
content”.
To preserve the electrical
neutrality of the resin, each
This ion cannot be fixed ion must be neutralised
removed or displaced with a counterion. This
counterion is mobile and can
get into and out of the resin
bead.
WHAT ARE ION EXCHANGE RESINS?
The fixed ions of this cation exchange
resin are sulphonates (SO3 —) that are
attached to the skeleton. In this picture,
the mobile ions are sodium (Na+ )
cations.
The dark lines represent
the polymeric skeleton
of the resin bead: it is
porous and contains
water.
The functional groups are here quaternary
ammonium cations shown in the picture as
N+R3; a more accurate formula would be
CH2-N+ -(CH3)3. The mobile ions in the
anion resin bead are chloride anions (Cl—).
WHAT ARE ION EXCHANGE RESINS?

You cannot make a resin that can

exchange cations as well as anions, because
the fixed cations inside the resin beads
would neutralise the fixed anions and no
exchange with the outside world would be
possible. Therefore you need separate
cation exchange resins and anion exchange
resins.
WHAT THE RESINS ARE MADE OF?
Strong acid cation (SAC)
exchange resins.
SAC resins are composed of a
polystyrene matrix with a sulphonate
(SO3–) functional group that is either
charged with sodium ions (Na2+)
for softening applications, or hydrogen
ions (H+) demineralization
Weak acid cation (WAC) exchange resins.
WAC resins are composed of an acrylic polymer
that has been hydrolyzed with either sulphuric
acid or caustic soda to produce carboxylic acid
functional groups. Due to their high affinity for
hydrogen ions (H+), WAC resins are typically used
to selectively remove cations associated with
alkalinity.

Strong base anion (SBA) exchange resins. SBA

resins are typically composed of a polystyrene
matrix that has undergone chloromethylation and
amination to fix anions to exchange sites. Type 1
SBA resins are produced by the application of
trimethylamine, which yields chloride ions (Cl–),
while Type 2 SBA resins are produced by the
application of dimethylethanolamine, which yields
hydroxide ions (OH–).
WHAT THE RESINS ARE MADE OF?
Weak base anion (WBA) exchange
resins. WBA resins are typically
composed of a polystyrene matrix that has
undergone chloromethylation, followed by
amination with dimethylamine. WBA resins
are unique in that they do not have
exchangeable ions, and are therefore used
as acid absorbers to remove anions
associated with strong mineral acids.
Chelating resins. Chelating resins are
the most common type of specialty resin,
and are used for selective removal of
certain metals and other substances. In
most cases the resin matrix is composed
of polystyrene, though a variety of
substances are used for functional groups,
including thiol, triethylammonium, and
aminophosphonic, among many others.
HOW RESINS LOOK LIKE
HOW RESINS LOOK LIKE
IX RESIN REGENERATION
During a regeneration cycle, the IX
Over time, contaminant ions bind
reaction is essentially reversed through
with all available exchange sites in
the application of a concentrated
the IX resin. Once the resin is
regenerant solution. Depending upon
exhausted, it must be restored for
the type of resin and the application at
further use through what is
hand, the regenerant may be a salt, acid,
known as a regeneration cycle.
or caustic solution.

As the regeneration cycle proceeds, the IX resin releases

contaminant ions, swapping them for ions present in the
regenerant solution. The contaminant ions will exit the IX system
as part of the regenerant effluent stream, and will need to be
properly discharged. In most cases, the resin is rinsed to remove
any residual regenerant prior to the next active IX cycle.
RESINS APPLICATIONS

Water Desminer-
Ultra pure
softening alization
water

Chemical
Waste Pharmace
processing
treatment uticals
-catalysis
LIMITS OF ION EXCHANGE
For ion exchange to be efficient
The ion exchange technology is a perfect
there must be a difference in
tool to remove or exchange contaminants
affinity between the ion in the resin
present in low concentrations. In such a
and the ion or ions you want to
case the running time until the resin
remove from solution. The resin
column is exhausted can be very long,
must have a higher affinity for the
ranging from a few hours to several
ion in solution compared to the ion
months.
in the resin.

Also, any contaminant that is not ionised cannot be

removed by ion exchange. Other technologies are
available for this purpose, using activated carbon,
polymeric adsorbents, molecular sieves and other
media.
CONCLUSION
Ion exchange is a very powerful technology to remove
impurities from water and other solutions. Many industries
depend on ion exchange for the production of extremely pure
water. Examples are

Semiconduct Removal of
Nuclear and
or, computer toxic
thermal
chips and contaminants
power
display panel from drinking
stations
production water
PURIFICATION OF ORGANIC ACIDS

In the frame of organic acids The separation of compounds is based on

purification in fermentation
broths, chromatography is often
performed with ion-exchange
resins to separate mineral salts,
sugars and organic acids.
affinity differences for the resins. Higher is the
affinity, slower migrates the compound along
the resin bed. In the sugar industry, cationic
resins are used to separate sucrose from salts
as well as sugars from each other.

In the citric acid production an anion-exchange

resin packed-column was connected to a fermenter
for separation of citric acid from fermentation
broth.
PURIFICATION OF ORGANIC ACIDS

Recovery of Acids after Addition of Known Mixtures to Anion

Exchange Resin
REFERENCES

• Busch, H., Hurlbert, R. B., & Potter,V. R. (1952). Anion exchange chromatography of acids of the
citric acid cycle. J. biol. Chem, 196, 717-727.
• Lemaire, J., Blanc, C. L., Lutin, F., Théoleyre, M. A., Stambouli, M., & Pareau, D. (2016). Purification
of organic acids by chromatography with strong anionic resins: Investigation of uptake
mechanisms. Journal of Chromatography A, 1458, 63-69.
• Seader, J. D., Henley, E. J., & Roper, D. K. (1998). Separation process principles.