Synthesis and Characterization of the Inorganic Ion Exchanger Based on Titanium 2-carboxyethylphosphonate

Abstract

An inorganic ion exchanger based on titanium 2-carboxyethylphosphonate (TiPC) has been synthesized by reaction between solutions of TiCl3 and 2-carboxyethylphosphonic acid at elevated temperature. The solid was characterized by chemical analysis, 31P MAS NMR, x-ray powder diffraction, IR spectroscopy, and TG analysis. It was found that TiPC is a highly crystalline layered solid with the interlayer distance 13.1 Å, and exhibits a high thermal stability. The intercalation of n-alkylamines and the ion exchange properties of TiPC toward alkali, alkaline earth, and some transition metal cations have been studied. The exchanger shows high affinity to alkaline earth metal cations and some di- and trivalent cations.