Experiments on ceramic formation from liquid precursor spray axially injected into an oxy-acetylene flame

An aqueous ceramic precursor solution was sprayed axially into an oxy-acetylene flame to produce yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramic deposits. Temperature and velocity fields of the oxy-acetylene flame were characterized by chemiluminescence and particle image velocimetry. Deposit samples were extracted from the flame at several downstream locations to study deposit evolution. The deposit phase and morphology were determined from Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Formation of the ceramic material commenced at around 4 cm distance from the injection point. The spectral peaks of the t′-phase of yttria-stabilized zirconia increased with increasing downstream distance whereas those of the precursor decayed.