Zirconium Oxide Structure Prepared by the Sol–Gel Route: I, The Role of the Alcoholic Solvent

Abstract

Sol–gel‐derived powder samples of zirconia (ZrO 2 ) prepared via the dissolution of zirconium n ‐propoxide in methanol, ethanol, and 2‐propanol have been characterized mainly using perturbed angular correlations spectroscopy, as a function of temperature. Results indicate that the nanostructures and subsequent thermal evolution are alcohol dependent: the shorter the alcohol chain, the more hydrolyzed the product. ZrO 2 powder that has been obtained using ethanol as the solvent is the product that exhibits the better stabilization of the metastable tetragonal phase ( t ‐phase). It undergoes a clear and detailed t 1 ‐form → t 2 ‐form → monoclinic ZrO 2 thermal transformation and shows the highest activation energy against the transformation to the monoclinic phase.