Magnetic nanocomposites based on hypercrosslinked polystyrenes

Magnetic sorbents (composites with inclusions of iron oxide nanoparticles in a polymer matrix), which can be used to remove toxic compounds by the magnetic separation method, have been developed on the basis of hypercrosslinked polystyrenes. Composites based on gel-type hypercrosslinked polystyrenes contain nanoparticles with a radius of ∼3 nm, while biporous hypercrosslinked polystyrenes (with micro- and macropores) contain nanoparticles with a radius of ∼8.5 nm (mainly magnetite). Macropores with a radius of ∼50 nm have been revealed in biporous hypercrosslinked polystyrenes.