Ion exchange resin containing activated carbon

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The embodiments of this invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1.
An ion-exchange resin of a synthetic, cross-linked, substantially insoluble polymer, the improvement comprising activated carbon particles contained or imbedded within said ion-exchange polymer.
2.
The ion-exchange resin of claim 1 wherein the activated carbon present in said polymer comprises between about 1 to 40% by weight of the polymercarbon mixture.
3.
The ion-exchange polymer of claim 2 wherein said activated carbon is bone charcoal having an active surface area of between 300 to 2000 square meters per gram of charcoal.
4.
The ion-exchange resin of claim 1 having a structure in a sheet or membrane form and having at least two dimensions in excess of one centimeter.
5.
The ion-exchange resin of claim 1 having a substantially spherical bead structure.
6.
The ion-exchange resin of claim 1 comprising a polymeric resin of a copolymer of at least one monovinyl aromatic monomer and at least one polyvinyl aromatic cross-linking monomer.
7.
The ion-exchange membrane of claim 4 wherein the activated carbon is dispersed substantially throughout the body of the polymer resin.
8.
The membrane structure of claim 4 wherein the activated carbon is located substantially only at one or more major surfaces of the membrane.
9.
The ion-exchange resin of claim 1 wherein said ion exchange polymer contains a thermoplastic high molecular weight substance selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, acrylonitrile-vinyl chloride copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinylidene chloride copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer and mixtures thereof.
10.
The membrane structure of claim 4 having at least one sheet of a woven or matted reinforcing structure imbedded therein.
11.
An electrochemical apparatus comprising chambers adapted to contain liquid defined by ion-permeable membranes and having terminal electrodes for passing a direct current transversely through said chambers and membranes, the improvement wherein at least some of said membranes are comprised of a cross-linked, ion-exchange polymer with said polymer having imbedded therein finely divided particles of activated carbon