Local Structure of Zr(OH) and the Effect of Calcination Temperature from X-ray Pair Distribution Function Analysis.

Analysis of X-ray pair distribution function data has provided a detailed picture of the local structure of amorphous Zr(OH) and its thermal decomposition into ZrO. In the untreated phase, the Zr atoms tend to be coordinated by six or seven oxygen atoms. The Zr centered polyhedra connect to each other primarily by sharing edges, but also with a significant amount of corner sharing, to form two-dimensional sheets in which the Zr are connected to an average of about five other Zr.

Sensing of NO with zirconium hydroxide via frequency-dependent electrical impedance spectroscopy.

Zirconium hydroxide has been investigated as a candidate nitrogen dioxide dielectric sensor using impedance spectroscopy analysis. Significant changes in electronic and physical properties down to our dosage minimum of 2 ppm h have been observed. Using disc-shaped pressed pellets of Zr(OH) in parallel plate geometry, we observe a maximum signal shift of 35% at 2 ppm h dosage, which increases six orders of magnitude as the dosage reaches 1000 ppm h.