Optical properties of hypercrosslinked polystyrene sorbents

Abstract

Optical properties of hypercrosslinked polystyrene with the degree of crosslinking of 60 to 500% were studied by using both the absorption spectra and diffusive reflection spectra in the range of 240-850 nm. Two unusual effects were found out. The first effect consists of a dramatic band broadening and shifting its maximum with the increasing crosslinking density. It is engendered by the change in the electron structure of aromatic chromophores. The second phenomenon represents an unusual dependence of the band form and its position on the size of particles: small particles of 50 μm and less in size generate relatively narrow bands which maximum locates largely in the UV range, while large beads of 300 to 500 μm in diameter absorb the light nearly in the entire visible range. Fluorescence spectra also differ for small and large particles.