The kinetics of cation exchange in network calyxarene-containing polymers: the nanoreactor effect

The kinetics of cation exchange from aqueous solutions of electrolytes in network calyxarene-containing polymers with sulfo acid and phenol ionic groups was studied. It was shown that the interaction of the polymers with aqueous solutions of LiCl, NaCl, AgNO3, LiOH, NaOH, and (CH3)4NOH was controlled by ion diffusion in the polymer phase. The nanoreactor effect, that is, a significant increase in the ion exchange rate in sulfonated calyxarene-containing polymers, was observed. The spherical layer model was used to obtain an analytic dependence of conversion on the interdiffusion coefficient and ion exchange duration in bifunctional cationites.