Patent ID: 7592284

Claim:
A method for making an ion exchange adsorbent, the method comprising: binding the adsorbent with an organic polymer to form a bound adsorbent; calcining the bound adsorbent by thermal treatment at a temperature in the range of 150° C. to 400° C. to yield a calcined adsorbent; treating the calcined adsorbent with a lithium salt to yield a treated adsorbent; washing the treated adsorbent with an aqueous base to yield a washed adsorbent; air drying the washed adsorbent to yield an air-dried adsorbent; drying the air-dried adsorbent in a vacuum to yield a vacuum-dried adsorbent; flowing preheated nitrogen through the vacuum-dried adsorbent, the temperature of the preheated nitrogen being about 300° C.; and immobilizing the adsorbent.