Zirconium Oxide Nanopowder

Zirconium Oxide Nanopowder

Stefanic et al. have study the influence of processing parameters (pH value, type of anion, and reaction temperature) on the properties of hydrous zirconia. They mix zirconium n-isopropoxide in isopropanol with aqueous solutions of different pH values and ion types. After that, they calcined the sample at 400°C. They obtain tetragonal zirconia as the dominant phase after calcination.

Stocker & Baiker have prepared zirconia aerogel by sol-gel method using tetra-n-butoxy zirconium (IV) and acid catalysis. They vary the acid to alkoxide ratio and types of alcoholic solvent in the reaction. They found out that zirconia aerogel prepared with an acid-to-alkoxide ratio of 0.95 and butanol have the largest BET surface area (205 m2g-1).

Beena et al. synthesized nanocrystalline zirconia using sol-gel and precipitation techniques. For sol-gel synthesis, they dilute zirconium propoxide to 30wt% by adding propanol and then hydrolyze with dropwise ammonia solution under continuous stirring until pH 10-10.5. For precipitation synthesis, they dissolved zirconium oxychloride in distilled water and then hydrolyzed with dropwise ammonia solution under continuous stirring until pH 10-10.5. The precipitates are then filtered and washed with distilled water to remove chlorine ions. Both sol-gel and precipitate samples are dried in an oven as well as under vacuum in rotavapor before calcined at different temperatures (400-700°C).