Properties of Zirconia and Common Preparation Methods

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What is zirconia

Zirconium is a primary oxide with the chemical formula ZrO2. Normal conditions produce a white, odorless, and tasteless crystal. It’s insoluble in hydrochloric and dilute sulfuric acid, but soluble in distilled water. Chemical properties do not exist. Its properties include high melting points, high resistivity and high refractive indices, as well as low thermal expansion coefficients. This makes it a ceramic sunscreen, insulating material for high temperatures and an actual high temperature resistant material. It is also used as the primary raw materials for artificial drills.

How to prepare zirconia

1. Chemical Method (Alkali Metal Method)

The zircon concentration powder is added to hot caustic to react and produce sodium zirconate. After the sodium zirconate has been washed in concentrated hydrochloric, it is converted to zirconium dioxide (ZH Cl2) by washing with concentrated acid. The zirconium oxide SH2OX is dissolved in water and then ammonia-water is added to precipitate the Zr(OH). You can burn Zr(OH1)1S to get zirconia.

It is possible to add hydrochloric, or sulfuric, acid to the precipitate after melting zircon (Zr(OH), Na2ZrO3, and undecomposed product, etc.). Zr(OH). Leach acid, remove precipitation and then add ammonia-water to prepare Zr (OH). The zircon can also be added to alkaline earth metal carbonates or oxides, then calcined into calcium zirconate. Finally, it is boiled in hydrochloric to remove the impurities and obtain zirconia.


2. Electrofusion method for Zirconia preparation

Reduced desalinization is achieved by melting zircon and reducing its size in an electric furnace. In an electric furnace, at 2700 degrees, zircon is completely decomposed, resulting in liquid ZrO2 or SiO2. At the same time SiO2 can decompose into gaseous siO2 or O2, which is also a reversible action.


Two methods are available for the preparation of stable zirconia using the electric melt method: primary melting and secondary melting. For the primary electric melting method, you need to mix zircon powder with graphite and stabilizers (usually calcite CaCO3). Add them to an electric furnace and melt. After the ZrO2 is fused, it is quenched in order to promote crystallization. In the second electric melting method the zircon powder is mixed with graphite, then melted and quenched in an electric furnace. The graphite is then burned lightly (around 1400degC), resulting in mZrO2. The mZrO2 mixed in the specified proportion is added to an electric arc melting furnace, quenched, and then lightly burned (about 1400degC) to obtain m-ZrO2.


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