Hydrolysis Constant and Coordination Geometry of Zirconium(IV)

Abstract

The solubility of zirconium was studied by comparing recent experimental data with predictions using an electrostatic hard sphere model. In the model, an antiprismatic structure was assumed for a mononuclear hydrolysis species of zirconium, and the formation of an oligomeric species such as Zr4(OH)8 8+ was considered by combining antiprismatic structure units, which was supported by the theoretical approach. By taking the known values of the solubility products, the hydrolysis constants of these mononuclear and polynuclear species were evaluated and were found to be consistent with the experimental solubility data of amorphous Zr(OH)4 and crystalline ZrO2.