Resin beads and inorganic particles

Abstract

Provided is a resin composition comprising (a) a collection of resin beads, wherein the collection of resin beads has pH of 8 or above, and wherein the collection of resin beads has volume average diameter of 150 μm to 2,000 μm; and (b) a collection of inorganic particles, wherein the inorganic particles contain one or more alkaline earths, and wherein the collection of inorganic particles has volume average diameter of 0.5 μm to 50 μm. Also provided is a method of processing an aqueous composition using such a composition.

Claims

1. A resin composition comprising (a) a collection of resin beads, wherein the collection of resin beads has pH of 8 or above, and wherein the collection of resin beads has volume average diameter of 150 μm to 2,000 μm; and (b) a collection of inorganic particles, wherein the inorganic particles contain one or more alkaline earths, and wherein the collection of inorganic particles has volume average diameter of 0.5 μm to 50 μm.

2. The resin composition of claim 1, wherein the collection of resin beads has volume average size of 150 μm to 500 μm.

3. The resin composition of claim 1, wherein the collection of resin beads has uniformity coefficient of 1.3 or lower.

4. The resin composition of claim 1, wherein the collection of inorganic particles has volume average diameter of 5 μm to 30 μm.

5. The resin composition of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the number of inorganic particles to the number of resin beads is from 0.1:1 to 2.5:1.

6. The resin composition of claim 1, wherein the packing density of the resin composition is 825 kg/m.sup.3 or less.

7. The resin composition of claim 1, wherein the alkaline earth comprises calcium.

8. A method of processing an aqueous composition, wherein the method comprises passing the aqueous composition through an inlet into a container that has an interior, and then passing the aqueous composition out of the container through an outlet, wherein the interior of the container comprises the resin composition of claim 1, wherein the composition of claim 1 is prevented from passing out of the container.

Description

EXAMPLE 1: PACKING DENSITY AND DELTA-P OF FOUR RESINS

(1) Four resin compositions were tested. “Comp 1” and “Comp 2” were comparative resin compositions. “Ex 1” and “Ex 2” were example resin compositions. All four were copolymers of styrene/divinylbenze, gel type, pendant sulfonic acid groups, Ca form, volume average diameter 220 μm. Comp 1=Diaion™ UBK 555, from Misubishi Chemical Corp Comp 2=Resin subjected to acid treatment—final pH=5.7 Ex 1=same resin composition as Comp 2, but exposed to insoluble calcium salts and maintained at pH=8.4 Ex 2=different resin composition from Ex 1, also exposed to insoluble calcium salts and maintained at pH=9.9
The four resins and their test results are shown below. The heading “Ca particles?” refers to the presence (“yes”) or absence (“no”) of calcium-containing inorganic particles.

(2) TABLE-US-00001 Packing delta-P at delta-P at Resin Label Ca particles? pH Density 6.1 m/hr 9.1 m/hr Comp 1 no 4.1 853 kg/m.sup.3 3.0 4.8 Comp 2 no 5.7 841 kg/m.sup.3 2.9 4.5 Ex 1 yes 8.4 815 kg/m.sup.3 2.6 3.9 Ex 2 yes 9.9 785 kg/m.sup.3 2.0 3.2

EXAMPLE 2: PARTICLE SIZE ANALYSIS OF TWO RESINS

(3) The particle size distributions (that is, frequency of occurrence versus diameter) of Comp 1 and Ex 2 were examined in detail. Comp 1 shows only a single peak at approximately 200 μm, which supports the conclusion that Comp 1 has resin particles but does not have any relatively small inorganic particles. Ex 2 shows two peaks, at approximately 20 μm and at approximately 200 μm, which supports the conclusion that Ex 2 contains both resin beads having volume average diameter of 220 μm and inorganic particles having volume average diameter of approximately 25 μm.

EXAMPLE 3: REMOVAL OF CALCIUM-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS FROM EX 2

(4) Two additional sample resin compositions were prepared: Comp 3: The resin composition of Ex 2 was treated with an aqueous solution of the sodium salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, while pH remained above 8. It is considered that all calcium compounds were removed from the resin composition and that the resin was converted to Na form. Comp 4: The resin composition of Ex 2 was treated with aqueous acid and an aqueous solution of a sodium salt to provide a resin composition in Na form at pH approximately 4. It is considered that the treatment with acid removed all the calcium compounds.

(5) The test results were as follows:

(6) TABLE-US-00002 Resin Composition Delta-P at 6.1 m/hr Comp 3 3.3 bar/m Comp 4 3.0 bar/m
These delta-P values are similar to those of Comp 1 and Comp 2 at the same flow rate and are higher than Ex 1 and Ex 2 at the same flow rate. This result supports the conclusion that removal of the inorganic particles leads to higher delta-P.