Mineral hydrogels from inorganic salts

Abstract

A method for making inorganic mineral hydrogels is provided. In one aspect, a first solution including one or more metal cations from one or more inorganic precursors is used. The metal cations are one or more of Fe, Mg, Ca, Co, Ni, Zn, Ti, Cu, Sn, or Mn. A second solution includes one or more polyoxometalates of Mo, W, V, Nb, or Ta. The first and second solutions are mixed together to form the inorganic mineral hydrogel. In one example, an aqueous solution of ferric chloride hexahydrate (FeCl3·6H2O) is mixed with an aqueous solution of ammonium molybdate tetrahydrate ((NH4)6Mo7O24·4H2O), under ambient conditions. The two reactants first form a yellow precipitate (FeMo2Ox(OH)y), which subsequently dissolves back into the solution to gradually produce a viscous hydrogel that traps a large volume of water.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.