1 filter paper (catalog number WHA1001125,
125 mm diameter), phosphoric acid (H3PO4, 85%
aqueous solution, CAS 7664-38-2, VWR chemicals), sodium monophosphate
dihydrate (NaH2PO4·2 H2O, CAS
13472-35-0, 98%, Supelco), urea [CO(NH2)2, >99%,
CAS 57-13-6, Sigma-Aldrich], sodium chloride (NaCl, >99%, CAS 7740-23-5,
VWR chemicals), sodium hydroxide (NaOH, >99%, CAS 1310-73-2, VWR
chemicals),
HCl gas (99.8%, CAS 7647-01-0, AGA), sulfanilamide (OAS, CAS 63-74-1,
Elemental Microanalysis Ltd), nitric acid (HNO3, 67–69%
Assay, CAS 7697-37-2, Romil Chemicals Ltd), hydrochloric acid (HCl,
34–37% Assay, CAS 7647-01-0, Romil Chemicals Ltd), hydrofluoric
acid (HF, 40%, guaranteed reactant, CAS 7664-39-3, Merck), and Milli-Q
water (18.2 MΩ cm resistivity) were used without further purification.
sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH, 1 M, CAS 1310-73-2, Titripur Reag.,
Merck) was diluted to a concentration of 0.1 M with degassed Milli-Q
water and used for conductometric titrations. sCNCs were prepared
from Whatman 1 filter paper by sulfuric acid hydrolysis (8.75 mL 64%
H2SO4 per 1 g Whatman 1 filter paper, 45 min,
45 °C), as described elsewhere,14 (link) and
by means of elemental analysis found to contain 0.194 mmol/g sulfate.