Structural Features of Phosphate and Sulfate Modified Zirconia Prepared by Sol–Gel Route

This paper describes the effect of sulfate, phosphate and nitrate complexing ligands on the structural features of amorphous xerogels and on the crystallization of metastable zirconia phases during the xerogel-ceramic conversion. Powdered samples were prepared by a sol–gel route using zirconyl chloride precursors chemically modified by complexing ligands. The structural evolution of ZrO₂ phases as function of firing temperature was analyzed by XRPD, EXAFS and ³¹P NMR/MAS. The experimental results show the formation of metastable t-ZrO₂ during the low firing temperature of xerogels modified by sulfate or phosphate groups. The martensitic tetragonal-monoclinic transformation occurs during desorption of sulfate groups. The largest temperature interval of stability of metastable tetragonal zirconia was observed for phosphate-modified xerogels.