Two-step seed swelling polymerization to prepare poly(glycidyl methacrylate-divinylbenzene) microspheres and their sulfonation for chromatographic separation of rare earth elements†

Abstract

A two-step seed swelling polymerization method was used to successfully synthesize monodisperse porous poly(glycidyl methacrylate-divinylbenzene) (PGMA-DVB) microspheres, which can be sulfonated and then used as new cation-exchange stationary phases for the separation of rare earth elements (REEs), demonstrating high resolution, stability, and selective separation of the REEs.