A novel series of water-insoluble cation-exchange resins was produced
by heating a commercial phytic acid solution with any of several organ
ic and inorganic materials possessing multiple hydroxyl functionality.
Suitable materials for use as substrates were pure polysaccharides su
ch as starch or cellulose, complex polysaccharide mixtures such as tho
se found in agricultural residues (sugar beet pulp, corn bran, or oat
hull), simple sugars such as sodium gluconate, and some polymeric inor
ganics such as silica and powdered glass. These materials were heated
with phytic acid at 180 degrees C for 20-35 min in vacuo. The brown to
black material produced had an ion exchange capacity for calcium that
ranged from 780-5700 mu equiv/g. The silica- and glass-based resins m
ay be suitable materials for the cleanup of radioactive wastes. They h
ave a low carbon content (1-3%), and subsequent vitrification to stabi
lize the radioactive elements in an insoluble form is simplified becau
se the matrix of the resin is silica. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.