Inverse Size-Exclusion Chromatography (ISEC) set-up for porosimetry characterization of acidic ion-exchange resins

Abstract

This project covers the implementation and application of the technique Inverse Steric Exclusion Chromatography (ISEC) for the characterization of several types of ion-exchange resins. Among many other uses, these catalysts are widely applied for etherification and esterification reactions where the presence of alcohols provides the polar media that causes the resins swelling. The novelty of ISEC relies on the feasibility for characterizing the polymers in the swollen state and therefore allowing for a better description of the catalysts actual reaction working state. A set of ion-exchange resins of different properties will be characterized using the previously implemented technique and their morphology will be discussed according to the experimental results. The assessment of the reproducibility achieved and the influence of important parameters used in the modelling on the morphological properties derived are also main objectives for this work.