Ion-exchange composition comprising a complex of support particles, dispersant, and electrostatically bound layering particles

A method of producing an ion-exchange composition suitable for use in ion exchange chromatography, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a first complex of neutral vinyl polymer support particles irreversibly bound to a dispersant, said dispersant having ionizable sites which are un-ionized at a neutral pH and which are ionized under highly basic or highly acidic conditions and said dispersant selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and polyacrylamide,
• (b) packing the first complex into a chromatography column,
• (c) forming a mixture of said first complex with an aqueous slurry of fine layering particles, functionalized with ion-exchanging sites on the surfaces of said fine layering particles, at said highly basic or highly acidic conditions so that said dispersant includes said ionized sites, and
• (d) electrostatically binding said dispersant ionized sites to a portion of said fine particle ion-exchanging sites to produce a support particle-dispersant-fine layering particle complex.