Conducting properties of a gel ionite modified with zirconium hydrophosphate nanoparticles

The organo-inorganic composites based on a strongly acid gel resin including zirconium hydro-phosphate nanoparticles and their aggregates were studied by impedance spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and standard contact porosimetry. The porous structure of the polymer was transformed under the action of the inorganic filler. The nanoparticles in the transport pores provided a three- to fivefold increase in the electric conductivity of the nanocomposites compared with the conductivity of the nonmodified ionite and a decrease in the percolation threshold. The nanocomposite ionites demonstrated stability against the accumulation of organic substances during electrodeionization to extract Na⁺ from low-concentrated solutions.