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Multifactor-Regulated Fast Synthesis of α-Zirconium Phosphate Nanocrystals Towards Highly Efficient Adsorption of Pesticides

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Abstract

α-zirconium phosphate (α-ZrP) nanocrystals with surface active groups and layered structure have been widely used in radionuclide removal, proton conductors, chemical sensors, flame retardant and corrosion-resistant materials. The previous synthesis of α-ZrP nanocrystals is time-consuming and lack of controllability. Herein, a multifactor-regulated fast synthesis strategy in a microwave reactor is proposed to realize the fast and controllable production of the high-quality α-ZrP nanocrystals. Compared with the conventional hydrothermal synthesis, the reaction time has been reduced from 24 h to 15 min. The degree of crystallinity, the morphology, the lateral size and the thickness can be controlled by adjusting the reaction parameters. Results demonstrate that the obtained α-ZrP nanocrystals possess good crystallinity, disk morphology, abundant active functional groups, superior thermal stability and strippable layered structure. Furthermore, the α-ZrP nanocrystals synthesized by the microwave-assisted multifactor-regulated method as environmentally friendly carriers possess better pesticide adsorption efficiency than those synthesized by the conventional hydrothermal synthesis as the result of the smaller size and more exposed adsorption sites. It is envisioned that the multifactor-regulated synthesis in a microwave reactor provides a more efficient and energy-saving alternative to synthesize high-quality nanocrystals and broaden their application in chemical engineering.

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Acknowledgements

The work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61805047), the Guangzhou Science Technology and Innovation Commission (No. 201807010108), the Guangdong Special Support Program (2017TX04N371) and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2019A1515011379).

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Author notes

  1. Weitai Yu and Yue Zhao have contributed equally to this study.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory On Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangdong, 510006, China

    Weitai Yu, Jiangrong Shen, Pengcheng Lin & Ying Chen

  2. Key Laboratory of Polymer Processing Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Technique and Equipment for Macromolecular Advanced Manufacturing, National Engineering Research Center of Novel Equipment for Polymer Processing, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, China

    Xiang Lu

  3. Institute of Microscale Optoelectronics, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China

    Yue Zhao

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  1. Weitai Yu
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  5. Xiang Lu
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Correspondence to Pengcheng Lin or Xiang Lu.

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Yu, W., Zhao, Y., Shen, J. et al. Multifactor-Regulated Fast Synthesis of α-Zirconium Phosphate Nanocrystals Towards Highly Efficient Adsorption of Pesticides. J Mater Sci 56, 313–325 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-020-05202-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-020-05202-4