A novel strong acid ion exchange fiber (HO 3 S-BC-XDC-PPS) was prepared via crosslinking and grafting copolymerization of 1,4-bischloromenthyl benzene (XDC), benzyl chloride (BC) on polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) matrix, as well as following sulfonation reaction. The physicochemical structures and properties of the fibrous ion exchanger were characterized with Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, elementary analysis and chemical titration, respectively. Compared with the preparation of traditional polypropylene-styrenedivinylbenzene-based ion exchange fibers, the synthesis strategy of PPS-based strong acid ion exchange fiber avoided the complicated irradiation grafting process with 60 Co or other radiation facilities. Owing to the existing of thioether (Ar-S-Ar) and sulfoxide (-SO-) unit in fibrous matrix, a super-equivalent adsorption phenomenon for Cu(II) ion was observed. The HO 3 S-BC-XDC-PPS fiber possessed high exchange capacity (≥3.0 mmol/g) and excellent thermostabilities, and the exchange capacity and desorption rate were not decreased after six adsorption desorption cycles.

A series of novel adsorption resins were synthesized via the chloromethylation of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) resin and subsequent functional group conversion reaction. Their chemical structure, thermal stability, and morphology were systematically characterized by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscope, and energy dispersive spectrometer, respectively. The experimental results showed that the thioureido, mercapto, aminopyridine, and quaternary ammonium groups had been respectively introduced into PPS matrix, the functional group content of PPS‐based mercapto resin (HS‐PPS), aminopyridine resin (AP‐PPS), and quaternary ammonium resin (QA‐PPS) were about 2.20, 1.71, and 2.61 mmol g−1, respectively. The adsorptive performance for Hg (II) and As (V) were studied by batch adsorptive method; the adsorption capacities of the HS‐PPS and AP‐PPS resin for Hg (II) were 210.65 and 169.06 mg g−1. The adsorption capacity of the QA‐PPS resin was 88 mg g−1 for As (V). Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.