Fabrication of zirconia mesoporous fibers by using polyorganozirconium compound as precursor

The zirconia mesoporous fibers with several centimeters in length have been fabricated by using the polyorganozirconium compounds of polyacetylacetonatozirconium (PAZ) and polyoxozirconium acetate as precursors. Triblock co-polymer of Pluronic P-123 was used as the templating agent. The obtained fibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N2 absorption, and so on. When calcined at 400 °C, obtained fibers have a controlled mesoporous structure with surface area of as large as 130 m2 g−1 and pore volume of 0.199 cm3 g−1. The influence of the crystallization and phase-transition process on the micro/mesostructure of fibers was studied. A feasible formation mechanism was also provided in this work.