Experimental study of the SnO2-ZrO2 phase diagram

The study of the SnO2-ZrO2 phase diagram in the 1230-1750 degreesC temperature range has shown the existence of an immiscibility gap, leading to two (Zr-1-Sn-x(x))O-2 and (Sn-1-Zr-y(y))O-2 limited solid solutions. Four compositions were synthesised for each solid solution, leading to pure phases, which were characterised by room-temperature and high-temperature X-ray diffraction. The unit-cell parameters of tetragonal (Sn-1-Zr-y(y))O-2, monoclinic (Zr-1-Sn-x(x))O-2 and tetragonal (Zr-1-Sn-x(x))O-2 were determined and correlated with the content of the substituted atom. The monoclinic to tetragonal and reverse reactions for the (Zr-1-Sn-x(x))O-2 series were also characterised (transition temperatures) when varying the tin mole fraction. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.