Synthesis, Characterisation and Application of Phenol-Formaldehyde Resin Blended with Sulphonated Terminalia Bellerica, Roxb. Charcoal

Phenol – Formaldehyde Resin (PFR) is the prepared base for cross linking agent for blending of Sulphonated Terminalia bellerica, Roxb., Charcoal (STBC). A few composite cation-exchangers were prepared by varying the amount of STBC (sulphonated carbon prepared from a source of cheap and renevable plant material) in the blends from 0 to 100% (w/w). Optimum principal reaction conditions for the preparation of blends were determined. All the important physico-chemical, thermal and spectral properties of the composites resins have been determined and analysed.  The composites are insoluble in various organic solvents and reagents. The composites are thermally stable and stable towards various reagents. It was found that the ion-exchange capacity (IEC) of the composite resins, decreased with the increasing percentage of STBC in the blend. The thermodynamic equilibrium constants (ln K) are calculated for H⁺ - Zn²⁺ ion exchanges on the resins having a various amount of STBC.   Thermodynamic parameters are also computed and suitable explanations are given. The composites up to 30% (w/w) blending retains the essential properties of the original PFR, since the Terminalia bellerica, Roxb., is the low cost, freely available plant material. Therefore, the composites could be used as low cost ion-exchangers, when STBC partly replaces the original PFR up to 30% (w/w) blending without affecting the properties of PFR.