Synthesis of porous vinylnaphthalene/divinylnaphthalene copolymers and their sorptive properties towards phenol and its derivatives

Four porous vinylnaphthalene/divinylnaphthalene (VN/DVN) polymers having three different nominal crosslinking degrees (60, 80 and 100 wt.%) have been synthesized using the suspension polymerization method in the presence of toluene and decane. The use of various crosslinking levels and inert diluents was aimed at changing the extent of polymeric network-diluent interactions. The resultant polymers have specific surface area in the range 450–700 m2/g depending on the DVN content. Two sets of pores were detected in all resins: one with the diameter of ≈2 nm and the second one in the range of 30–40 nm. Their sorptive properties have been studied using dilute (0.5 mmol/l) solutions of phenol and its derivatives (o-chlorophenol, 2-methylphenol, o-nitrophenol, m-nitrophenol and p-nitrophenol). It has been found that sorption, at low equilibrium concentration, follows the order: o-nitrophenol > o-chlorophenol > m-nitrophenol > o-methylphenol > p-nitrophenol > phenol. Full characteristics of the porous structure of resultant polymers was obtained by nitrogen adsorption at 77 K and their surface properties analyzed using Inverse Gas Chromatography.