Changes in the zirconium local surrounding on ligand substitution in solutions

EXAFS and SAXS methods have been used to examine zirconium hydroxide and oxychloride aqueous solutions in the presence of sulfuric acid in a wide range of concentrations, as well as a zirconium sulfate aqueous solution. The structure of the complexes and their transformation regularities were determined. Structures of the given complexes and structures of zirconium hydroxide and zirconium oxychloride and hydroxide complexes in aqueous solutions were compared. Complexes in zirconium hydroxide and oxychloride aqueous solutions have identical structures in the presence of sulfuric acid. When the concentration ratio of sulfuric acid and the initial compound is low (20–30), the complex is an open trimer with zirconium atoms bonded by sulfate groups. Bridge sulfate groups form Zr-O-S-O-Zr bonds. Apart from the bridge sulfate groups, there are three terminal sulfate groups and three terminal hydroxyl groups for each zirconium atom. When the concentration of sulfuric acid is increased (up to a ratio of 40–100), closed trimers are observed in the solution.