Thermal treatment on composite γ-zirconium phosphate-silica

The prepared amorphous γ-ZrP\SiO2 composite had a complicated composition, since a part of γ-ZrP is converted to α-form during the exfoliation of it. The γ-ZrP\SiO2 composite have specific surface area of 421 m2g–1. The acidic P–OH groups of the lamellae species placed on the surface (it is ≈1.0 meq g–1), do not destroy until the temperature of 1030 K. During the thermal treatment the total mass loss of 7.79% was found. This value corresponds to 0.42 mole of H2O per molecule unit. The water loss process was found very slow, because of the placing of bilamellar species in the composite.