What is the difference between macroporous ion exchange resin and gel ion exchange resin?

The full name of ion exchange resin consists of classification name, backbone (or gene) name, and basic name. Pore structure is divided into gel type and macroporous type. Any resin with physical pore structure is called macroporous resin, and "macroporous" is added before the full name. If the classification is acidic, "cation" should be added before the name, and if the classification is alkaline, "anion" should be added before the name. Such as: macroporous strong acid styrene cation exchange resin.

The polymer skeleton of the gel-type resin does not have capillary pores inside when dry. It swells when it absorbs water, and forms very fine pores between the macromolecular chains, usually called micro-pores. The average pore diameter of the wet resin is 2 to 4 nm (2×10-6 to 4×10-6 mm).
These resins are more suitable for adsorbing inorganic ions, and their diameters are small, generally 0.3 to 0.6 nm. This type of resin cannot adsorb macromolecular organic substances, because the size of the latter is large, such as protein molecules with a diameter of 5-20 nm, and cannot enter the microscopic pores of this type of resin.
The macroporous resin is made by adding a porogen during the polymerization reaction to form a porous sponge-like structure with a large number of permanent micropores inside, and then introducing exchange groups.

The macroporous resin is made by adding a porogen during the polymerization reaction to form a porous sponge-like structure with a large number of permanent micropores inside, and then introducing exchange groups. It coexists with micro-pores and macro-pores, the pore size of the wetting resin is 100-500 nm, and its size and quantity can be controlled during manufacture. The surface area of the channels can be increased to over 1000 m2/g. This not only provides good contact conditions for ion exchange, shortens the distance of ion diffusion, but also increases many active centers of chain links, and generates molecular adsorption through intermolecular van de Waals force, which can adsorb like activated carbon. Various non-ionic substances to expand its function. Some macroporous resins without exchange functional groups can also adsorb and separate various substances, such as phenols in chemical plant wastewater.
The pores inside the macroporous resin are many and large, the surface area is large, the active center is many, the ion diffusion speed is fast, and the ion exchange speed is also much faster, which is about ten times faster than that of the gel resin. When used, the effect is fast, the efficiency is high, and the required processing time is shortened. Macroporous resin also has many advantages: resistance to swelling, not easy to break, oxidation resistance, wear resistance, heat resistance and temperature change resistance, and easier adsorption and exchange of organic macromolecular substances, so it has strong anti-pollution power and is more resistant to pollution. Easy to regenerate.
What are the characteristics of gel ion exchange resin and macroporous ion exchange resin?

Gel-type ion exchange resin: large exchange capacity, low price, water immersion will swell, the volume will become larger, repeated expansion and contraction will make the resin particles easily broken.
Macroporous ion exchange resin: high mechanical strength, high price, not easy to be polluted by aging, and its size will not change due to impact.

Application:
Drinking water softening, industrial wastewater treatment
Food Grade Beverage Sugar Decolorization
Pharmaceutical grade antibiotic extraction
Hydrometallurgical Heavy Metal Removal and Adsorption