ABSTRACT
In general, many inorganic ion exchangers have been shown to exhibit good thermal and radiation stability. This chapter explains oxides and hydrous oxides as ion exchangers as a group in order to develop a coherent comparative discussion of their properties. Metals in the intermediate range give insoluble hydrous oxides or hydroxides. As far as possible, the nomenclature in regard to hydrous oxides as ion exchanger will be that of the original authors, because the characteristics of the material depend on their preparation method. Most insoluble hydrous oxides can exist in a number of forms with different chemical and physical properties, depending on their methods of preparation and subsequent treatment. The crystalline material may be formed either by internal structure modification of the amorphous polymer or alternatively via a crystal growth process involving dissociation of mononuclear entities from amorphous polymer particles. The crystalline hydrous oxide can be identified by analytical, crystallographic, and thermal analysis.
