Removal of metals from solutions
AssigneeThe Dow Chemical Company
InventorsWalter L. Vaughn, Rafael E. Guerra
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Abstract
Particles, fibers, or filaments of ethylene/carboxylic acid copolymers or terpolymers, especially in highly porous or microporous form, are employed in removing contaminants from solution in aqueous and/or organic liquids, especially metal contaminants. The porous polymers, having a surface area/weight ratio of at least about 0.5 m.sup.2 /gm, are useful alone, but may also be used in conjunction with, or in tandem with, previously known ion exchange resins such as polyacrylic acid crosslinked with divinylbenzene.
Claims23
A method of removing metal contaminants from solution in an aqueous liquid, an organic liquid, or a liquid which is aqueous and organic, said method comprising
- contacting the said liquid with an ethylene polymer having pendent carboxylic acid groups or pendent carboxylic acid groups in the salt form, said polymer being in microporous, particulate form, and having a surface area/weight ratio of at least about 0.5 m.sup.2 /gm, for a time sufficient to cause the metal values to affix to the polymer, and
- separating the liquid from the polymer,
- wherein the ethylene polymer comprises ethylene interpolymerized with about 10% to about 40% by weight of an olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid of the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, crotonic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, and butenoic acid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.