Preparation
Zirconium nitrate is prepared by reacting nitric acid with zirconium oxide:
- ZrO2 + 4HNO3 → Zr(NO3)4 + 2H2O
The compound is crystallized as pentahydrate following evaporation to dryness.
Upon remembering the intended goal is not zirconium nitrate, but actually zirconium (IV) hydroxide, the wayward preparation may be salvaged as follows: begin by undoing the just-completed dehydration, reconstituting aqueous zirconium nitrate. Now the addition of ammonium hydroxide will cause precipitation of Zirconium (IV) hydroxide, which may be filtered and washed.
If zirconium oxide is not conveniently at hand, (making the meandering reaction path above low in utility) Zirconium (IV) hydroxide can be made from the commercially available mineral, zircon sand (zirconium silicate: ZrSiO4).
Zirconium silicate with an excess of sodium hydroxide is heated to around 650 C and held for several hours, yielding sodium silicate and sodium zirconate. Adding water hydrolyzes sodium zirconate to precipitate Zirconium (IV) hydroxide which may be filtered and then further washed with water to remove the sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate.
Read more about this topic: Zirconium(IV) Hydroxide
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