Preparation of scandia stabilized zirconia powder using microwave-hydrothermal method

Scandia stabilized zirconia powder (ScSZ) was first synthesized by a microwave-hydrothermal method. The crystalline and aggregated particle sizes were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Weakly agglomerated and well crystallized ScSZ powder was prepared by microwave-heating to 150 °C and 2.5 h. The structure of the ScSZ powder changed from a tetragonal to a cubic phase, and accordingly, the powder conductivity was increased from 90.55 to 120.56 ms/cm by the introduction of the mineralizer solutions (KOH+K2CO3) during the microwave-hydrothermal processing.

TEM images of ScSZ powders prepared at 150 °C for 2.5 h (a) In distilled water; (b) In KOH+K2CO3 solutionFigure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide