Partially pyrolyzed macroporous polymer particles having multimodal pore distribution with macropores ranging from 50-100,000 angstroms

Claim 2

Partially pyrolyzed particles of a macroporous synthetic polymer having properties suitable for use in adsorption, molecular screening and/or catalysis and high resistance to crushing and particle sloughage comprising the product of controlled thermal degradation of a macroporous synthetic polymer containing macropores ranging from between about 50 to about 100,000 Angstroms in average critical dimension, a carbon-fixing moiety, and derived from one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers, or monomers which may be condensed to yield macroporous polymers, or mixtures thereof, which partially pyrolyzed particles have: (a) at least 85% by weight of carbon, (b) multimodal pore distribution with macropores ranging in size from about 50 A to about 100,000 A in average critical dimension and (c) a carbon to hydrogen atom ratio of between about 1.5 : 1 and about 20 : 1.

Claim 3

The partially pyrolyzed particles of claim 1 wherein the particles are beads or spheres of approximately the same dimensions as ion exchange resins.

Claim 4

The partially pyrolyzed particles of claim 1 wherein the pores of the particles are bimodal with micropores ranging in size from about 4 A to about 50 A and macropores ranging in size from about 50 A to about 100,000 A.

Claim 5

The partially pyrolyzed particles of claim 1 wherein the surface area of the particles measured by N 2 adsorption ranges between about 50 and 1500M 2 /gram, of which the macropores contribute about 6 to about 700M 2 /gram as determined by mercury adsorption techniques.

Claim 6

The partically pyrolyzed particles of claim 1 wherein the particles contain micropores of molecular seive size ranging between about 4 A and 6 A in average critical dimension.

Claim 7

The partially pyrolyzed particles of claim 1 wherein the carbon to hydrogen atom ratio is between about 2.0 : 1 and 10 : 1.

Claim 8

The partially pyrolyzed particles of claim 1 wherein the carbon-fixing moiety is selected from sulfonate, carboxyl amine, halogen, oxygen, sulfonate salts, carboxylate salts and quaternary amine salts.

Claim 9

The partially pyrolyzed particles of claim 1 wherein the carbon to hydrogen atom ratio of the particles is at least 9.0.

Claim 10

A process for producing partially pyrolyzed particles of a macroporous synthetic polymer having properties suitable for use in adsorption, molecular separations, and/or catalysis and high resistance to crushing and particle sloughage which comprises thermally degrading at a temperature between about 300° C. and about 900° C. and in an inert gaseous atmosphere optionally containing an activating gas, a macroporous synthetic polymer containing macropores ranging from between about 50 to about 100,000 Angstroms in average critical dimension, a carbon-fixing moiety, and derived from one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers or monomers which may be condensed to yield macroporous polymers or mixtures thereof for a time sufficient to drive off sufficient volatile components of the synthetic polymer to yield particles having: (a) at least 85% by weight of carbon, (b) multimodal pore distribution with macropores ranging in size from about 50 A to about 100,000 A in average critical dimension and (c) a carbon to hydrogen atom ratio of between about 1.5 1; 1 and about 20 : 1, and thereafter cooling said particles under said inert atmosphere to a temperature below that which would cause oxidation in air.

Claim 11

A process for producing partially pyrolyzed particles of a macroporous synthetic polymer having properties suitable for use in adsorption, molecular separations, and/or catalysis and high resistance to crushing and particle sloughage which comprises thermally degrading at a temperature between about 300° C. and about 900° C. and in an inert gaseous atmosphere optionally containing an activating gas, a macroporous synthetic polymer containing macropores ranging from between about 50 to about 100,000 Angstroms in average critical dimension, a carbon-fixing moiety, and derived from one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers or monomers which may be condensed to yield macroporous polymers or mixtures thereof for a time sufficient to drive off sufficient volatile components of the synthetic polymer to yield particles having: (a) at least 85% by weight of carbon, (b) multimodal pore distribution with macropores ranging in size from about 50 A to about 100,000 A in average critical dimension and (c) a carbon to hydrogen atom ratio of between about 1.5 1; 1 and about 20 : 1, and thereafter cooling said particles under said inert atmosphere to a temperature below that which would cause oxidation in air.

Claim 12

The process of claim 9 wherein the thermal degradation is conducted at a temperature between about 400° C. and 800° C.