Invention of Hollow Zirconium Tungesto-Vanadate at Nanotube Morphological Structure for Radionuclides and Heavy Metal Pollutants Decontamination from Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

Zirconium tungesto-vanadate cation exchange material was successfully architectured at open ended nanotubes morphological structure in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol as a stabilizing agent using microwave route. The ion exchange capacity (IEC) of the material was recorded as 4.8 meq/g of about 640 m2/g for a specific surface area. The x-ray diffraction pattern of the material implies its crystallinity. Both scanning and transmission electron microscopes identified the average aspect ratio of the architectured nanotubes as 6.5 and its hollow structure. The material posed 96.4 % cadmium ion decontamination within 90 min compared with 84 % strontium decontamination at the same time.