Amphoterilised

Amphoterilised is a term used to describe a substance that has been converted to or endowed with amphoteric (amphoteric) character, meaning it can react as both an acid and a base under appropriate conditions. The concept rests on amphotericity, where a species can donate or accept protons, or accept or donate electrons, depending on the chemical environment.

In practice, amphoterisation can be achieved by functionalizing a material or molecule to bear both acidic and basic groups, or by introducing structural features that allow dual reactivity. This can occur through chemical modification, surface treatment, or incorporation of complementary functional groups. When applied to solids, such as oxides or polymers, amphoterisation often aims to create surfaces with pH-dependent charge and reactivity, enabling versatile interactions in catalysis, adsorption, or separation processes.

Common examples of amphoteric materials and species include metal oxides like aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and zinc oxide (ZnO), which dissolve in both strongly acidic and strongly basic media and can participate in acid–base reactions on their surfaces. In aqueous chemistry, water (H2O) and certain polyprotic species such as bicarbonate (HCO3−) are amphoteric or amphiprotic. Amino acids and other zwitterionic or dual-function molecules can also exhibit amphoteric behavior under suitable pH conditions.

Applications of amphoterised systems span catalysis, environmental remediation, coatings, and smart materials, where dual reactivity facilitates buffering, adsorption of diverse species, or tunable interactions with ions and molecules. See also amphotericity and amphoteric substances for related concepts.