Hydrothermal Synthesis of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Nanocrystals with Controlled Yttria Content.

In this study, we demonstrate for the first time the hydrothermal synthesis of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) nanocrystals with controlled yttria content (x = 3-12 mol %; xYSZ) with negligible aggregation from aqueous solution. The nanocrystals were grown via the hydrothermal treatment of basic Zr(IV) and Y(III) carbonate complex aqueous solutions in the presence of a cationic ligand, N(CH3)4(+). The nanocrystals were characterized in detail by dynamic light scattering, ζ-potential measurement, X-ray diffraction, specific surface area measurement based on the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller theory, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy.

A monomeric [Zr(CO3)4](4-) complex in an ammonium zirconium carbonate aqueous solution studied by extended X-ray absorption fine structure, Raman and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

The speciation of zirconium complexes in ammonium zirconium carbonate (AZC) solutions should be further studied in order to develop high-performance AZC complexes for use in elaborate industrial materials. Thus, the speciation and the structure of various zirconium species in ammonium zirconium carbonate solutions were investigated over a wide range of total carbonate and ammonium concentrations. By employing extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis, and Raman and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, it was found that four carbonate ions coordinate bidentately to the zirconium ion.