Crystallization behavior of tetragonal ZrO2 prepared in a silica bath

► The activation energy of t-ZrO2 crystallization calculated by the JMA equation is 643.0 ± 13.9 kJ·mol−1. ► The growth morphology parameter (n) and crystallization mechanism index (m) are approximated as 3.0. ► Bulk nucleation is dominant in the t-ZrO2 crystallization process, and has a spherical-like morphology. ► The TEM microstructure reveals that the t-ZrO2 crystallites have a spherical-like morphology.