Zirconium(IV) sulfate is the name for a family of inorganic salts with the formula Zr(SO
4)
2(H
2O)
n where n = 0, 4, 5, 7. These species are related by the degree of hydration. They are white or colourless solids that are soluble in water.
Preparation and structure
Zirconium sulfate is prepared by the action of
sulfuric acid on
zirconium oxide
Zirconium dioxide (), sometimes known as zirconia (not to be confused with zircon), is a white crystalline oxide of zirconium. Its most naturally occurring form, with a monoclinic crystalline structure, is the mineral baddeleyite. A dopant stabi ...
:
:ZrO
2 + 2 H
2SO
4 + H
2O → Zr(SO
4)
2(H
2O)
x
The anhydrous sulfate is also known.
These compounds adopt complex structures featuring 7- and 8-coordinated Zr centres. Both water and sulfate serve as
ligand
In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule ( functional group) that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's elec ...
s.
[Squattrito, Philip J.; Rudolf, Philip R.; Clearfield, Abraham "Crystal structure of a complex basic zirconium sulfate" Inorganic Chemistry 1987, vol. 26, 4240-4.]
Uses
Zirconium sulfate is used in tanning white
leather
Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hog ...
, as a
catalyst
Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recyc ...
support, to precipitate proteins and amino acids, and as a
pigment
A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use. Generally dyes are often organic compounds whereas pigments are often inorganic compou ...
stabilizer.
References
Zirconium(IV) compounds
Sulfates
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