Zeolite-based zirconium functional materials (Ze-Zr) were obtained by the response surface methodology (RSM). The experimental conditions such as zeolite particle size, the concentration of zirconium oxychloride, mass ratio of zeolite and zirconium, processing time and temperature and assimilation temperature were optimized. The central Box-Behnken design (BBD) and mathematical modelling were adopted for optimizing experimental parameters. FT-IR, XRD and SEM were used to analyze the structure and morphology of the obtained Ze-Zr materials. The Ze-Zr materials with highest phosphorus removal rate of 97.08% were prepared under the following conditions: 0.15-0.20 mm of zeolite, 0.04 M zirconium, mass ratio of 0.09 of zeolite and zirconium, processing for 4h and 100 degrees C as drying temperature. (C) 2017 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.