The crystal structure of zirconium phosphate and the mechanism of its ion exchange behavior

Abstract

Abstract Zirconium bis (monohydrogen orthophosphate) monohydrate, Zr(HPO 4 ) 2 ·H 2 O, was shown to have a layered structure. Each layer consists of sheets of zirconium atoms held together by phosphate bridges. The phosphate groups are situated above and below the sheets of metal atoms and form hydrogen bonds with adjacent layers. The hydrogen bond network is such as to create zeolitic type cavities within the crystal. During exchange the cations initially occupy the zeolitic cavities, but when there are filled the cations then insert themselves between the layers with consequent increase in the interlayer separation.