TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The ion exchange polymer material is a polymerized monomer comprising e.g. 4'-vinylbenzo-15-crown-5, 4'-vinylbenzo-18-crown-6, 2-(((4-vinylbenzyl)oxy)methyl)-1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxacyclopentadecane, 2-(((4-vinylbenzyl)oxy)methyl)-1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane, 15-(((4-vinylbenzyl)oxy)methyl)-2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12-octahydrobenzo(b)(1,4,7,10,13)pentaoxacyclopentadecine, 15-(2-((4-vinylbenzyl)oxy)ethyl)-2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12-octahydrobenzo(b)(1,4,7,10,13)pentaoxacyclopentadecine, 18-(((4-vinylbenzyl)oxy)methyl)-2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12,14,15-decahydrobenzo(b)(1,4,7,10,13,16)hexaoxacyclooctadecine, 18-(2((4-vinylbenzyl)oxy)ethyl)-2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12,14,15-decahydrobenzo(b)(1,4,7,10,13,16)hexaoxacyclooctadecine, 13-(4-vinylbenzyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraoxa-13-azacyclopentadecane, 16-(4-vinylbenzyl)-1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxa-16-azacyclooctadecane, 5-(((4-vinylbenzyl)oxy)methyl)-4,7,13,16,21-pentaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosane or vinylbenzo (2.2.1)cryptand, or its isomer. The ion exchange polymer material has a structure of formulae (Q1-CH2-X), ((-CH2-CH(-(CH2)8-CH2-X1)-)n) and (Q1-R). The ion exchange polymer material is a polymerized monomer having a structure of formula (I). The ion exchange polymer material is cross-linked with a crosslinking agent comprising divinylbenzene, 2,23-divinyl-6,7,9,10,12,13,15,16,18,19,26,27,29,30,32,33,35,36,38,39-icosahydrodibenzo(b,t)(1,4,7,10,13,16,19,22,25,28,31,34)dodecaoxacyclohexatriacontine or its isomer, or 2,20-divinyl-6,7,9,10,12,13,15,16,23,24,26,27,29,30,32,33-hexadecahydrodibenzo(b,q)(1,4,7,10,13,16,19,22,25,28) decaoxacyclotriacontine or its isomer. The ion exchange polymer material has a precursor of formula (Q1-CH2-Cl) (A) reacted with a hydroxy-substituted crown ether or cryptand so the hydroxy-substituted crown ether or cryptand replaces the chloride group and becomes a pendant group of the ion exchange polymer material, where the hydroxy-substituted crown ether or cryptand is (1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxacyclo-pentadecan-2-yl)methanol 2-hydroxymethyl-15-crown-5, (1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecan-2-yl)methanol 2-hydroxymethyl-18-crown-6, (2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12,14,15-decahydrobenzo(b) (1,4,7,10,13,16)hexaoxacyclooctadecin-18-yl)methanol, 2-(2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12,14,15-decahydrobenzo(b) (1,4,7,10,13,16)hexaoxacyclooctadecin-18-yl)ethanol, (2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12-octahydrobenzo(b)(l,4,7,10,13)pentaoxacyclopentadecin-15-yl)methanol, 2-(2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12-octahydrobenzo(b)(1,4,7,10,13)pentaoxacyclopentadecin-15-yl)ethanol, 4,7,13,16,21-pentaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosan-5-ylmethanol 2-hydroxymethyl (2.2.1)cryptand, 4,7,13,16,21,25-hexaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo (8.8.8)hexacosan-5-ylmethanol 2-hydroxymethyl(2.2.2)cryptand, hydroxymethylbenzo(2.2.1)cryptand, 2-hydroxyethylbenzo(2.2.1)cryptand, hydroxymethylbenzo(2.2.2)cryptand, 2-(4-4,7,13,16-tetraoxa-1,10,21-triazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosan-21-ylmethyl)phenyl ethanol or 2-hydroxyethylbenzo(2.2.2)cryptand. The ion exchange polymer material is (i) a functionalized bead, or (ii) a polymerized monomer reacted with any of 1,4,7,10-tetraoxa-13-azacyclopentadecane, 1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxa-16-azacyclooctadecane, lithium 1,4,7,10-tetraoxa-13-azanidacyclopentadecan-13-ide, lithium 1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxa-16-azanidacyclooctadecan-16-ide, 4,7,13,16-tetraoxa-1,10,21-triazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosane or lithium 4,7,13,16-tetraoxa-1,10,21-triazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosan-21-ide. The functionalized bead is (A) or the polymerized monomer is vinylbenzyl chloride. The crown ether is 3,6,9,12,15,18-hexaoxacyclooctadec-1-ylmethanol or 3,6,9,12,15-pentaoxacyclopentadec-1-ylmethanol, or the cryptand is 4,7,13,16,21-pentaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosan-5-ylmethanol 2-hydroxymethyl (2.2.1)cryptand or 4,7,13,16,21,25-hexaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo (8.8.8)hexacosan-5-ylmethanol 2-hydroxymethyl(2.2.2)cryptand. The polymer material includes a polymer in the form of a polymer bead, a polymer particle, a polymer micro fiber, or a polymer nano fiber. The polymer is a polymer strand formed by Ziegler-Natta polymerization of a 1-olefin.Q1 = polymer, preferably polyolefins, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyamides, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyetheretherketones, polyethersulfones, polyimides, polyamide-imides, polyethers, polyoxymethylene, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylenenaphthenate, polybutene, polyolefin copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene copolymers, polystyrene copolymers, polymethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, polysiloxane polymers, polybenzimidazole, polybenzoxazole, polyphenylenes, polyarylene ether ketones, polyperfluorocyclobutanes, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride copolymers and terpolymers, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinylfluoride, liquid crystalline polymers, polyaramides or polyphenylene oxide;X = 3,6,9,12,15-pentaoxacyclopentadec-1-ylmethoxy, 3,6,9,12,15,18-hexaoxacyclooctadec-1-ylmethoxy, 4,7,13,16,21-pentaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosan-15-ylmethoxy, 4,7,13,16,21,24-hexaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo(8.8.8)hexacosan-6-ylmethoxy, 2,5,8,11,14-pentaoxabicyclo(13.4.0)nonadeca-1(19),15,17-trien-17-ylmethoxy, 2,5,8,11,14,17-hexaoxabicyclo(16.4.0)docosa-1(22),18,20-trien-20-ylmethoxy, 2-(2,5,8,11,14-pentaoxabicyclo(13.4.0)nonadeca-1(19),15,17-trien-17-yl)ethoxy, 2-(2,5,8,11,14,17-hexaoxabicyclo(16.4.0)docosa-1(22),18,20-trien-20-yl)ethoxy, 2-(4-(4,7,13,16-tetraoxa-1,10,21-triazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosan-21-ylmethyl)phenyl)ethoxy, 6,9,12,15-tetraoxa-3-azacyclopentadecane, 9,12,15,18-tetraoxa-3,6-diazacyclooctadecane, 4,7,13,16-tetraoxa-1,10,21-triazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosane or crown ether group of formula (aa)-(dd);n = 50-1000;X1 = 3,6,9,12,15-pentaoxacyclopentadec-1-ylmethoxy, 3,6,9,12,15,18-hexaoxacyclooctadec-1-ylmethoxy, 4,7,13,16,21-pentaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosan-15-ylmethoxy, 4,7,13,16,21,24-hexaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo(8.8.8)hexacosan-6-ylmethoxy, 2,5,8,11,14-pentaoxabicyclo(13.4.0)nonadeca-1(19),15,17-trien-17-ylmethoxy, 2,5,8,11,14,17-hexaoxabicyclo(16.4.0)docosa-1(22),18,20-trien-20-ylmethoxy, 2-(2,5,8,11,14-pentaoxabicyclo(13.4.0)nonadeca-1(19),15,17-trien-17-yl)ethoxy, 2-(2,5,8,11,14,17-hexaoxabicyclo(16.4.0)docosa-1(22),18,20-trien-20-yl)ethoxy, 2-(4-(4,7,13,16-tetraoxa-1,10,21-triazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosan-21-ylmethyl)phenyl)ethoxy, 6,9,12,15-tetraoxa-3-azacyclopentadecane, 9,12,15,18-tetraoxa-3,6-diazacyclooctadecane, 4,7,13,16-tetraoxa-1,10,21-triazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosane, 6,9,12,15,18-pentaoxa-3-azacyclooctadecane or (aa)-(dd); andR = 2,5,8,11,14-pentaoxabicyclo(13.4.0)nonadeca-1(19),15,17-trien-17-yl, 2,5,8,11,14,17-hexaoxabicyclo(16.4.0)docosa-1(22),18,20-trien-20-yl, (4-(2,5,8,11,14-pentaoxabicyclo(13.4.0)nonadeca-1(19),15,17-trien-17-ylmethoxymethyl)phenyl), (4-(2,5,8,11,14,17-hexaoxabicyclo(16.4.0)docosa-1(22),18,20-trien-20-ylmethoxymethyl)phenyl), (4-(2-(2,5,8,11,14-pentaoxabicyclo(13.4.0)nonadeca-1(15),16,18-trien-17-yl)ethoxymethyl)phenyl), (4-(2-(2,5,8,11,14,17-hexaoxabicyclo(16.4.0)docosa-1(18),19,21-trien-20-yl)ethoxymethyl)phenyl), (4-(4,7,13,16,21,24-hexaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo(8.8.8)hexacosan-6-ylmethoxymethyl)phenyl), (4-(4,7,13,16-tetraoxa-1,10,21-triazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosan-21-ylmethyl)phenyl), (4-(4,7,13,16,21-pentaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo(8.8.5)tricosan-15-ylmethoxymethyl)phenyl), (4-(3,6,9,12,15-pentaoxacyclopentadec-1-ylmethoxymethyl)phenyl), (4-(3,6,9,12,15,18-hexaoxacyclooctadec-1-ylmethoxymethyl)phenyl), (4-(4,7,10,13-tetraoxa-1-azacyclopentadec-1-ylmethyl)phenyl), crown ether group of formula (aa1)-(ff1) or lithium group of formula (gg).Preferred Method: In the method, prior to the replacing of the functional group, the method further comprises: forming the polymer as a polymer bead by emulsion polymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene, and then functionalizing the polymer bead to attach a halogen or an organic molecule including a halogen; and forming the polymer as a polymer bead and functionalizing the polymer bead in a single step, where the forming and the functionalizing step are accomplished by polymerizing styrene, divinylbenzene or vinylbenzyl chloride to form the polymer bead having a chloromethane functional group attached to it. The method further comprises reacting the polymer with dimethoxymethane, acetyl chloride, methanol, and tin(IV) chloride in dichloromethane to attach chloromethane as the functional group to a surface of the polymer, where the replacing of the functional group is accomplished by replacing a chloride portion of the chloromethane with the crown ether or the cryptand.