ORIGINAL PAPER Structure and sorption properties of hypercrosslinked polystyrenes and magnetic nanocomposite materials based on them Alexander V . Pastukhov & Vadim A. Davankov & Vladimir V . Volkov & Sergei V . Amarantov & Kseniya I. Lubentsova Received: 25 October 2013 /Accepted: 2 March 2014 /Published online: 15 March 2014 # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014 Abstract By using transition electron microscopy, X-ray dif- fraction and small-angle X-ray scattering technique porous structure of a series of polystyrene-type sorbents (microporous and biporous hypercrosslinked polystyrenes, mesoporous sor- bent XAD-4) was investigated, as well as sizes of iron oxide nanoparticles introduced into their matrix. Nanocomposite sorbents have low density, a large inner surface area, and like the parent polymers, exhibit marked adsorption properties, e.g. take up from saturated vapors 1.4 g/g of iodine or 0.8 g/ g chloropicrin. A general method for processing scattering data from polydisperse multicomponent systems, like the above nanocomposites, was suggested. A rather homoge- neous distribution of scattering heterogeneities with radius around 3 nm was found to be characteristic of microporous hypercrosslinked polystyrenes. Radius of magnetic iron oxide (magnetite) nanoparticles varies in ranges of 2.1±0.6 nm and 6.7±3.8 nm for the above microporous and biporous hypercrosslinked polymers, while in the XAD-4 particles of all sizes from 1 to 10 nm are presented. Keywords Hypercrosslinked polystyrene . Polymer-inorganic nanocomposites . Magnetic sorbents . Transmission electron microscopy . Iron oxides . Small-angle X-ray scattering Introduction One of perspective directions of current nanotechnology is the design of hybrid materials that are provided with a desired complex of optical, electric, magnetic or semi-conductor prop- erties. A variety of such nanocomposite materials can be obtained by generating nanodisperse inorganic insertions within a homogeneous or macroporous polymer matrix [1]. In this manner, polymeric adsorbing materials can be pro- vided with magnetic properties, which can open new possi- bilities for recovering of spent sorbents by means of their magnetic separation. The latter technique was proven to be an efficient and facile procedure, e.g. in water purification [2–4]. Magnetic sorbents should be particularly convenient for processing slurry-type media such as microbiologic culture liquids. Magnetic haemocompatible adsorbents were even suggested for extracorporeal detoxification of blood [5, 6]. Materials of that type result from covering small particles of magnetite first with a layer of carbon or nanodispersed oxides of silicium, alumina or zirconium and then with a layer of a haemocompatible natural polymer as dextrane, gelatine, albumine or a synthetic polymer [6, 7]. Synthesis and proper- ties of magnetic hydrophilic polymers based on polystyrene and polyacrylamide latexes were described [8]. Introduction of magnetic iron oxides into the matrix of strong base anion exchanging styrene copolymers of the type of Amberlite IRA-900 was subject of several patents, e.g. [9]. These products are aimed at treatment of potable and waste waters. Magnetic materials based on macroporous and gel- type polystyrene copolymers Dow 3N, XFS4195, C-100, C-145, Diphonix, IRC718 manufactured by Dow, Purolite and others were found to efficiently remove traces of copper and zinc ions from natural and industrial waters [10]. Cobalt and nickel contaminated waste waters can be processed with polyacryl amide-type resins provided with magnetite inclusions [11]. A. V. Pastukhov (*) : V. A. Davankov : K. I. Lubentsova A. N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Vavilova 28, Moscow 119991, Russia e-mail: avpast@gmail.com V. V. Volkov : S. V. Amarantov A. V. Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskii pr. 59, Moscow 119333, Russia J Polym Res (2014) 2014:406 DOI 10.1007/s10965-014-0406-7