Work

From Zircon Sand to Advanced Functional Materials: Synthesis and Characterization of Zirconium-Based Metal Organic Frameworks

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study presents an integrated approach for converting zircon sand into functional materials based on zirconium metal–organic frameworks (Zr-MOFs). Zirconium was extracted through three main steps: alkali fusion, water leaching, and nitric acid leaching, resulting in a precursor identified as Zr(OH)2(NO3)2·1.33H2O (ZON). Characterization using XRF, FTIR, XRD, and SEM-EDX revealed that ZON possesses a high zirconium content (94.87% relative to the total metal content) and distinct structural features. The ZON compound was subsequently utilized as a novel precursor in synthesizing of three types of Zr-MOFs: UiO-66, MOFs-801, and MOFs-808. Structural and morphological analyses indicated that all three MOFs were successfully formed with high crystallinity. These findings demonstrate that locally sourced zircon sand has strong potential as a sustainable and cost-effective raw material for MOF synthesis, while also bridging the knowledge gap between zirconium extraction and the development of sustainable materials chemistry based on local mineral resources.

Source: Indo J Chem Res

DOI: 10.30598/ijcr.2025.13-ber

Authors: Berryl Vendo Palapessy, Brilyan Muhammad Rasyid Reda, Fainan Failamani, Aep Patah

Institution: Bandung Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Metal-Organic Frameworks: Synthesis and Applications

Subfield: Inorganic Chemistry

Field: Chemistry

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $50