Patent ID: 6281400
Filing Date: 2001-08-28
Classification: B01J,C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
A process for the preparation of a porous microcomposite which comprises a highly fluorinated ion-exchange polymer containing pendant sulfonate functional groups, said polymer existing as aggregated particles entrapped within and dispersed throughout a network of silica, wherein the weight percentage of the highly fluorinated ion-exchange polymer in the microcomposite is from about 0.1 to about 90 percent; said process comprising the steps of:(a) preparing a liquid composition consisting essentially of water and a highly fluorinated ion-exchange polymer containing pendant sulfonate functional groups;(b) contacting said liquid composition with a solution consisting essentially of water and a silicate selected from the group consisting of: sodium silicate, ammonium silicate, potassium silicate, and any combination thereof;(c) allowing the silicate to form a network of silica; and(d) recovering the porous microcomposite.