Novel electroblowing synthesis of submicron zirconium dioxide fibers: Effect of fiber structure on antimony(v) adsorption

Both stable and radioactive antimony are common industrial pollutants. For antimonate (Sb(v)) removal from industrial waste water, we synthesized submicron zirconium dioxide (ZrO₂) fibers by electroblowing and calcination of the as-electroblown fibers. The fibers are amorphous after calcination at 300 and 400 °C and their average diameter is 720 nm. The fibers calcined at 500 to 800 °C have an average diameter of 570 nm and their crystal structure transforms from tetragonal to monoclinic at the highest calcination temperatures. We investigated Sb(v) adsorption capacity of the synthesized ZrO₂ fibers as a function of pH, adsorption isotherm at pH 6 and adsorption kinetics at pH 7. The tetragonal ZrO₂ fibers calcined at 500 °C exhibited the best potential for Sb(v) remediation with Sb(v) uptake of 10 mg g^-1 at pH 2 and a maximum Sb(v) uptake of 8.6 mg g^-1 in the adsorption isotherm experiment. They also reached 30% of 7 days' Sb(v) uptake in only a minute. The adsorption kinetics followed the Elovich model.