Provided is a process of making polymeric beads comprising (a) providing a suspension of monomer droplets in an aqueous medium at pH of 7 or less, wherein the monomer droplets comprise one or more monofunctional vinyl monomers, one or more multifunctional vinyl monomers, and one or more initiators, wherein the aqueous medium comprises one or more derivatives of a nitrite salt in an amount, by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium, of 0.005% to 0.5%, (b) initiating polymerization of the monomer, wherein no pH-raising substance is added after beginning step (b) until 60% or more by weight of all monofunctional monomer has been converted to polymer.

Provided is a process of making polymeric beads comprising (a) providing a suspension of monomer droplets in an aqueous medium at pH of 7 or less, wherein the monomer droplets comprise one or more monofunctional vinyl monomers, one or more multifunctional vinyl monomers, and one or more initiators, wherein the aqueous medium comprises one or more derivatives of a nitrite salt in an amount, by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium, of 0.005% to 0.5%, (b) initiating polymerization of the monomer, wherein no pH-raising substance is added after beginning step (b) until 60% or more by weight of all monofunctional monomer has been converted to polymer.

In an embodiment, a method of producing a bisphenol comprises reacting a phenolic compound with a reactant comprising one or both of an aldehyde and a ketone in the presence of a catalyst system and methanol to produce the bisphenol; wherein the methanol is present in an amount of 250 to 5,000 ppm based on the total weight of the reactant; wherein the catalyst system comprises an ion-exchange resin comprising a plurality of sulfonic acid sites; and 5 to 35 mol % of an attached promoter molecule based on the total moles of the sulfonic acid sites in the catalyst system; and wherein the attached promoter molecule comprises at least two thiol groups per attached promoter molecule.

In an embodiment, a method of producing a bisphenol comprises reacting a phenolic compound with a reactant comprising one or both of an aldehyde and a ketone in the presence of a catalyst system and methanol to produce the bisphenol; wherein the methanol is present in an amount of 250 to 5,000 ppm based on the total weight of the reactant; wherein the catalyst system comprises an ion-exchange resin comprising a plurality of sulfonic acid sites; and 5 to 35 mol % of an attached promoter molecule based on the total moles of the sulfonic acid sites in the catalyst system; and wherein the attached promoter molecule comprises at least two thiol groups per attached promoter molecule.

A cation-exchange membrane using a polyolefin-based substrate with reduced swelling of an ion-exchange resin and a low electrical resistance is provided. The cation-exchange membrane of the present invention includes a substrate made of polyolefin-based woven fabric, and a sulfonic acid group-containing cation-exchange resin. A portion of the cation-exchange membrane other than the substrate has 23 mass % or more to 35 mass % or less of polyvinyl chloride.

A cation-exchange membrane using a polyolefin-based substrate with reduced swelling of an ion-exchange resin and a low electrical resistance is provided. The cation-exchange membrane of the present invention includes a substrate made of polyolefin-based woven fabric, and a sulfonic acid group-containing cation-exchange resin. A portion of the cation-exchange membrane other than the substrate has 23 mass % or more to 35 mass % or less of polyvinyl chloride.

A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer; a cathode catalyst layer; and a cathode gas diffusion layer. The cathode catalyst layer includes an ionomer, the ionomer includes copolymers each of which has a hydrophilic block. The hydrophilic block is positioned at a terminal of a copolymer which includes a hydrophobic portion and a hydrophilic portion having a sulfonic acid group. The hydrophilic block has an aggregated structure of the hydrophilic portion. A gas diffusion resistance coefficient of the cathode gas diffusion layer is 3.2×10.sup.−4 m or lower. The gas diffusion resistance coefficient is expressed by “Gas Diffusion Resistance Coefficient=Thickness of Cathode Gas Diffusion Layer/(Porosity of Cathode Gas Diffusion Layer).sup.4”.

A fuel cell includes: an electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer; a cathode catalyst layer; and a cathode gas diffusion layer. The cathode catalyst layer includes an ionomer, the ionomer includes copolymers each of which has a hydrophilic block. The hydrophilic block is positioned at a terminal of a copolymer which includes a hydrophobic portion and a hydrophilic portion having a sulfonic acid group. The hydrophilic block has an aggregated structure of the hydrophilic portion. A gas diffusion resistance coefficient of the cathode gas diffusion layer is 3.2×10.sup.−4 m or lower. The gas diffusion resistance coefficient is expressed by “Gas Diffusion Resistance Coefficient=Thickness of Cathode Gas Diffusion Layer/(Porosity of Cathode Gas Diffusion Layer).sup.4”.

The present invention relates to recovery of lithium from liquid resources to produce lithium solutions while limiting impurity precipitation in the lithium solutions.

The present invention relates to recovery of lithium from liquid resources to produce lithium solutions while limiting impurity precipitation in the lithium solutions.