The Preparation of Specific Adsorbents

Abstract

A method has been developed for preparing adsorbents having specific affinities for predetermined substances. This method consists in forming the structure of the adsorbent in the presence of the particular compound for which it is desired to prepare a specific adsorbent. The presumable explanation of the formation of a specifically attracting structure under these conditions is that the adsorbent in the process of formation has accessible to it a very great number of structures which differ only slightly in stability, and that in the presence of a foreign molecule those structures that are stabilized through attraction for the foreign molecule are preferentially assumed. The adsorbent is thus pictured as automatically forming pockets that fit closely enough to the foreign molecule to hold it by van der Waals' forces, hydrogen bonds, interionic attractions, and other types of intermolecular interaction. This mechanism is the same as that proposed by Pauling [1] for the formation of antibodies with use of antigen molecules as a template, Which formed the basis for the nmanufacture of artificial antibodies reported by Pauling and Campbell. [2]