Synthesis of nanostructured tetragonal ZrO2 of enhanced thermal stability

Hydrous zirconia particles of nanometric dimensions were synthesized via forced hydrolysis of zirconyl chloride. Prolonged aging at 100 degrees C in the mother liquor and subsequent calcination produced a single-phase tetragonal ZrO2 Of enhanced thermal stability with the narrow size and pore distributions. The influence of the preparation conditions on the phase composition of the resultant zirconium dioxide was examined using structural (XRD, SEM/TEM) and spectroscopic (Raman) methods, supported by thermal analysis (DTA/TG, DSC) and N-2-porosimetry. The nature of the parent salt, pH of the solution, the temperature of precipitation and aging, were found to be the key parameters of the successful synthesis. The sequence of mechanistic steps invoked to account for the formation of t-ZrO2 was rationalized using the concepts of zirconium aquatic chemistry.