ion exchange

noun

: a reversible interchange of one kind of ion present on an insoluble solid with another of like charge present in a solution surrounding the solid with the reaction being used especially for softening or demineralizing water, the purification of chemicals, or the separation of substances

ion exchanger noun

Examples of ion exchange in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For more advanced needs, reverse osmosis or ion exchange systems provide powerful purification, though with higher upfront costs and energy demands. —Sahit Muja, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025

Salt Water Softener These systems remove minerals that cause hard water through a process called ion exchange. —Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2025

The district now uses ion exchange technology to remove PFAS from water, an approach that uses tiny beads to filter out the chemicals. —Ignacio Calderon, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2024

Other options include reverse osmosis or ion exchange resins, which act like tiny magnets that attract PFAS chemicals. —Aria Bendix, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2024

Water softeners use a process called ion exchange in order to replace those minerals with sodium, making the water less hard. —Andrea Wurzburger, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2023

Then, there is an iron and manganese filter that uses ion exchange to catch unwanted particles and reduces chlorine. —Andrea Wurzburger, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2023

The company uses an ion exchange technology that washes brine through bead structures which absorb the lithium minerals and flush out the rest of the water and its remaining minerals. —Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 Sep. 2023

The glass is made to be tough through a process called ion exchange. —Manasee Wagh, Popular Mechanics, 4 Aug. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ion exchange

• interchange
• rearrange
• arrange
• derange
• estrange
• midrange
• change
• grange
• mange
• range
• strange

Medical Definition

ion exchange

noun

ion ex·​change -iks-ˈchānj 

: a reversible interchange of one kind of ion present on an insoluble solid with another of like charge present in a solution surrounding the solid with the reaction being used especially for softening or demineralizing water, purifying chemicals, or separating substances