UDC 544.723.21 E. V. Senchylo, V. L. Struzhko, and V. N. SolomakhaWe have studied the effect of synthesis conditions on formation of thermally stable mesoporous zirconium phosphate. We have used X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia, IR spectroscopy, NMR, and DTA to establish that formation of hexagonally ordered materials which are stable during detemplating is possible only when using cationic and nonionic surfactants, a temperature of 20°C, and post-synthesis treatment with a solution of orthophosphoric acid. We have established that, depending on the ordering, there is a change in both the adsorption characteristics of the zirconium phosphate as well as the concentration of acid sites and their strength distribution.In recent years, inorganic ion-exchange materials, in particular zirconium phosphates, have attracted increasing attention mainly due to their ability to meet a number of requirements imposed by modern technology. They are characterized by higher stability (compared with organic ion exchangers) at elevated temperatures and when exposed to rather intense radioactive radiation. Zirconium phosphate is also quite resistant to acids, except for HF, H 2 SO 4 , and H 2 C 2 O 4 , which form complexes with zirconium. Furthermore, zirconium phosphates and its modified forms, along with metal oxides, zeolites, molecular sieves, activated carbons, and other porous materials, are widely used as catalyst supports and catalysts in isomerization reactions [1], Friedel-Crafts acylation using benzyl chloride [2], and also as a matrix for controlled assembly of semiconductor clusters and organic molecules [3,4]. These materials can be used in nonlinear optics, in electronic and optical processes [5], and also as proton conductors in proton exchange membranes in fuel cells for direct conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy [6].Most widely studied have been zirconium phosphates with a layered structure which, depending on the synthesis method, have different crystal structures of the a-zirconium phosphate type (a-ZrP) of composition Zr(HPO 4 ) 2 ·H 2 O, g-zirconium phosphate (g-ZrP) of composition Zr(PO 4 )·(H 2 PO 4 )·2H 2 O, or zirconium pyrophosphate ZrP 2 O 7 [7]. Owing to the presence on the surface of layers of POH groups, a-zirconium phosphate is stable at high temperatures (700-800°C) [8]. The method for obtaining layered zirconium phosphates involves precipitation from acidic solutions of zirconium salts with the help of phosphoric acid, differently substituted sodium or ammonium phosphates. Phosphates of tetravalent metals are formed in strongly acidic medium (pH 0-1) [3]. Zr 4+ ions in solution are usually hydrated by six water molecules, while in Zr(HPO 4 ) 2 ·H 2 O they are found in an octahedral environment of six oxygen atoms of HPO 4 2-anions. Therefore the process of