Synthesis of zirconium dioxide by ultrasound assisted precipitation: Effect of calcination temperature

Nanostructured zirconium dioxide was synthesized from zirconyl nitrate using both conventional and ultrasound assisted precipitation in alkaline medium. The synthesized samples were calcinated at temperatures ranging from 400 °C to 900 °C in steps of 100 °C. The ZrO2 specimens were characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The thermal characteristics of the samples were studied via Differential Scanning Calorimetry-Thermo-Gravimetry Analysis (DSC-TGA). The influence of the calcination temperature on the phase transformation process from monoclinic to tetragonal to cubic zirconia and its consequent effect on the crystallite size and % crystallinity of the synthesized ZrO2 was studied and interpreted. It was observed that the ultrasound assisted technique helped to hasten to the phase transformation and also at some point resulted in phase stabilization of the synthesized zirconia.

► Zirconium dioxide synthesized by both conventional and a novel sonochemical method.
► Low reaction times and high yields were obtained by using the sonochemical method.
► Faster phase transformation observed in the sonochemically synthesized specimens.
► Lesser agglomeration and sharper particle shapes also obtained by sonication
► Sonochemical process is energy saving and not at the cost of product quality.