Synthesis and characterization of microporous pillared alpha-zirconium phosphate-biphenylenebis(phosphonate)

Nanocrystalline, microporous pillared zirconium phosphate-biphenylenebis(ph osphonate) materials were obtained by a sol-gel route involving the reactio n of the 4,4'-biphenylenebis(phosphonic acid) and phosphoric acid with tetr a-n-propoxyzirconium, followed by a mild hydrothermal crystallization treat ment. The variation of the micropore volume with the pillar fraction demons trated that the micropores were of interlamellar origin; the pore size dist ributions showed the presence of well defined micropores along with a broad distribution of meso- and macro-pores. However, it was not possible to con trol the micropore volume and the micropore size by varying the pillar frac tion.