Ion Exchange of Layered α- Zirconium Phosphates and Functionalized Derivatives: Determination of Thickness and Percent Functionalization by Exchange

ABSTRACT

The ion exchange of α-zirconium phosphate (ZrP) nanoparticles, highly crystalline zirconium phosphates prepared by the hydrothermal method, and epoxide functionalized zirconium phosphates were investigated. A series of exchange reactions involving both the surface and interlayer were used to determine exchange capacities for each environment and investigate the relationship between the interlayer and surface phosphates of ZrP. The resulting relationship was used to develop a new methodology to determine the average particle thickness within a sample of ZrP. Upon functionalization, the exchange capacities of derivatives prepared by surface functionalization (SF) and full functionalization (FF) were compared to the pristine ZrP, and an additional method was developed to determine the degree of functionalization in each sample.

KEYWORDS:

• Inorganic ion-exchangers
• tetravalent metal phosphates
• functionalization

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the Rollins College Student Faculty Collaborative Scholarship Program for partial support of this research.

Declaration of interest statement

The authors declare there are no conflicts of interest involved in the publication of this article.

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