Microwave assisted solution combustion synthesis of alumina–zirconia, ZTA, nanocomposite powder

In the present study, the effect of microwave heating in producing alumina–20 wt% zirconia (ZTA) nanocomposite powder through metal nitrate solution combustion synthesis method, using urea as fuel, was studied. For comparison, ZTA nanocomposite powder is also synthesized using conventional heating method. To characterize the products and evaluate the effect of microwave heating system on them, X-ray diffractometry, TEM, SEM, surface area analysis (BET), and TG/DTA analysis were used. The results showed that, both ZTA powder synthesized in microwave and furnace were nanocrystalline, fine, and brittle, in which zirconia particles were homogeneously dispersed in the alumina matrix. The results also proved that, the powder produced in microwave was finer (<20 nm) with narrower size distribution and had better homogeneity of zirconia particles in alumina matrix, but lower specific surface area, in comparison with the sample which was synthesized in furnace.

Research highlights▶ In the present work the possibility of using microwave heating system in a combustion solution synthesis process for producing alumina–zirconia (ZTA) nanocomposite powder was examined. Furthermore the effect of microwave heating on the characteristics of the produced nanopowders was determine and compared with the characteristics of the powders produced by convention heating method. The results indicated that microwave heating system is a feasible method for fast heating system required in solution combustion synthesis process, by which it is possible to produce very fine powder with crystalline size in the range of 15–20 nm and narrow size distribution.