Kinetic and thermodynamic patterns of CaZrO3 formation at sintering zirconium dioxide with calcium carbonate

Experimental data were obtained on the kinetics of formation of calcium zirconate in the system of ZrO₂-CaCO₃ with a 1:1 molar ratio of the components at 1000, 1100, 1200, and 1300°C. The thermodynamic characteristics of reactions occurring during sintering zirconium dioxide and calcium carbonate were calculated. The changes in specific surface area of zirconium dioxide at heating and its effect on the kinetics of the studied process were investigated. Analysis of experimental data on the degree of CaZrO₃ formation was performed using the fundamental equations of the kinetics of solid-state reactions. The best agreement between the calculation and the experiment was obtained for Jander and Zhuravlev-Lesokhin-Tempelman diffusion models.     

Electrochemical Stability of the Reconstructed Fe3O4(001) Surface

Establishing the atomic-scale structure of metal-oxide surfaces during electrochemical reactions is a key step to modeling this important class of electrocatalysts. Here, we demonstrate that the characteristic (√2×√2)R45° surface reconstruction formed on (001)-oriented magnetite single crystals is maintained after immersion in 0.1 M NaOH at 0.20 V vs. Ag/AgCl and we investigate its dependence on the electrode potential. We follow the evolution of the surface using in situ and operando surface X-ray diffraction from the onset of hydrogen evolution, to potentials deep in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) regime. The reconstruction remains stable for hours between −0.20 and 0.60 V and, surprisingly, is still present at anodic current densities of up to 10 mA cm⁻² and strongly affects the OER kinetics. We attribute this to a stabilization of the Fe₃O₄ bulk by the reconstructed surface. At more negative potentials, a gradual and largely irreversible lifting of the reconstruction is observed due to the onset of oxide reduction.     

Carbothermal synthesis of ultra-fine zirconium carbide powders using inorganic precursors via sol–gel method

Ultra-fine zirconium carbide (ZrC) powders have been synthesized by carbothermal reduction reactions using inorganic precursors zirconium oxychloride (ZrOCl₂ · 8H₂O) as sources of zirconium and phenolic resin as the carbon source. The reactions were substantially completed at relatively lower temperatures (∼1400 °C/1 h) and the synthesized powders had a small average crystallite size (<200 nm) and a large specific area (54 m²/g). The oxygen content of the powder synthesized at 1400 °C/1 h was less than 1.0 wt%. The thermodynamic change process in the ZrO₂–C system and the synthesis mechanism were studied.     

Solvothermal synthesis of large surface area zirconia

The reaction of zirconium n-propoxide in glycol at 300°C yielded microcrystalline tetragonal zirconia (ZrO₂). The crystallite size of the product depended on the carbon number of the glycol and increased in the following order (carbon number of glycol): 2<6<4, which suggested that the heterolytic cleavage of O-C bond of gylcoxide formed by transesterification is the prime factor for the formation of the product. In toluene, zirconium isopropoxide also gave tetragonal zirconia at 300°C, and zirconium tert-butoxide decomposed at 200°C yielding amorphous zirconia, while zirconium n-propoxide was stable at 300°C. These results suggest that the reaction in toluene depends on the structure of the alkyl group of the alkoxides. Thus-obtained tetragonal zirconias maintained large surface areas (90–160 m²/g) even after calcination at 500°C.     

Photoreduction of carbon dioxide by hydrogen and methane

Zirconium oxide is active for photoreduction of gaseous carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide with hydrogen. A stable surface species arises under the photoreduction of CO₂ on zirconium oxide, and it is identified as surface formate by infrared spectroscopy. Adsorbed CO₂ is converted to formate by photoreaction with hydrogen. The surface formate is a true reaction intermediate since CO is formed by the photoreaction of formate and CO₂; surface formate works as a reductant of carbon dioxide to yield carbon monoxide. The dependence on the wavelength of irradiation light shows that a bulk ZrO₂ is not a photoactive species. When ZrO₂ adsorbs CO₂ a new band appears in photoluminescence excitation spectrum. The photoactive species in the reaction that CO₂+H₂ yields HCOO⁻ is presumably formed by the adsorption of CO₂ on ZrO₂ surface. Hydrogen molecules play a role to supply an atomic hydrogen. Therefore, methane molecules can also be used as a reductant of carbon dioxide.     

Synthesis of Highly Dispersed Zirconium Diboride for Fabrication of Special-Purpose Ceramic

Reduction of zirconium dioxide with boron carbide and nanofibrous carbon in argon yielded a highly dispersed powder of zirconium diboride. Characteristics of zirconium diboride powders were examined by various analytical methods. The material obtained is represented by a single phase, zirconium diboride. Powder particles are for the most part aggregated. The average size of particles and aggregates is 10.9–12.9 μm with a wide size distribution. The specific surface area of the samples is 1.8–3.6 m² g^–1. The oxidation of zirconium diboride begins at a temperature of 640°C The optimal synthesis parameters were determined: ZrO₂: B₄C: C molar ratio of 2: 1: 3 (in accordance with stoichiometry), process temperature 1600–1700°C, synthesis duration 20 min.     

Activating Inert Metallic Compounds for High‐Rate Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Through In Situ Etching of Extrinsic Metal

Surface reactions constitute the foundation of various energy conversion/storage technologies, such as the lithium–sulfur (Li‐S) batteries. To expedite surface reactions for high‐rate battery applications demands in‐depth understanding of reaction kinetics and rational catalyst design. Now an in situ extrinsic‐metal etching strategy is used to activate an inert monometal nitride of hexagonal Ni₃N through iron‐incorporated cubic Ni₃FeN. In situ etched Ni₃FeN regulates polysulfide‐involving surface reactions at high rates. Electron microscopy was used to unveil the mechanism of in situ catalyst transformation. The Li‐S batteries modified with Ni₃FeN exhibited superb rate capability, remarkable cycling stability at a high sulfur loading of 4.8 mg cm^?2, and lean‐electrolyte operability. This work opens up the exploration of multimetallic alloys and compounds as kinetic regulators for high‐rate Li‐S batteries and also elucidates catalytic surface reactions and the role of defect chemistry.     

Experimental and Theoretical Study of Hydrogen Atom Abstraction from Ethylene by Stoichiometric Zirconium Oxide Clusters

The reactions of cationic zirconium oxide clusters （ZrxOy^＋） with ethylene （C2H4） were investigated by using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer coupled with a laser ablation/supersonic expansion cluster source. Some hydrogen containing products （ZrO2）xH^＋（x=-1-4） were observed after the reaction. The density functional theory calculations indicate that apart from the common oxygen transfer reaction channel, the hydrogen abstraction channel can also occur in （ZrO2）x^＋＋C2H4, which supports that the observed （ZrO2）xH^＋ may be due to （ZrO2）x^＋＋C2H4→（ZrO2）xH^＋＋C2H3. The rate constants of different reaction channels were also calculated by Rice-Rarnsberger-Kassel-Marcus theory.     

Synthesis and characterization of electrospun PVdF-HFP/silane-functionalized ZrO2 hybrid nanofiber electrolyte with enhanced optical and electrochemical properties

A facile method to produce a hybrid of organic-inorganic nanofiber electrolyte via electrospinning is hereby presented. The incorporation of functionalized zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) nanoparticles into poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) and complexed with lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiCF₃SO₃) provided an enhanced optical transmissivity and ionic conductivity. The dependence of the nanofiber's morphology, optical and electrochemical properties on the various ZrO₂ loading was studied. Results show that while nanofiller content was increased, the diameter of the nanofibers was reduced. The improved bulk ionic conductivity of the nanofiber electrolyte was at 1.96 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹. Owing to the enhanced dispersibility of the 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (MPS) functionalized ZrO₂, the optical transmissivity of the nanofiber electrolyte was improved significantly. This new nanofiber composite electrolyte membrane with further development has the potential to be next generation electrolyte for energy efficient windows like electrochromic devices.     

A Novel Process for CO2 Capture by Using Sodium Metaborate,Part II: Carbonation Reaction and Kinetic Studies

In Part II of this two‐part series of papers, optimization of carbonation reaction with sodium metaborate and kinetics of the reaction are studied and compared to the structural properties, which were reported in Part I. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the optimization of reaction conditions and determination of reaction parameters of sodium metaborate (NaBO₂) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). Both hydrated and dehydrated forms of NaBO₂ have high sorption capacities of CO₂ up to 400°C. Decomposition of the products starts beyond 400°C and completes at 600°C. The shrinking core model is used to explain the kinetics of the noncatalytic heterogeneous reaction. The reaction progresses in two stages: one is surface reaction controlled and the other is diffusion controlled. The apparent activation energy and preexponential factor for reaction‐controlled and diffusion‐controlled regions are calculated as 11.8 kJ/mol and 3.5 × 10⁶ cm²/min and 18.2 kJ/mol and 6.5 × 10⁻⁵ cm²/min, respectively.     

Thermodynamic investigation of zirconium diselenite

Summary On the basis of calorimetric research of selenium dioxide, zirconium dioxide and zirconium diselenite dissolution reactions in the hydrofluoric acid solution under 298 K a standard enthalpy of Zr(SeO₃)₂ formation reaction from ZrO₂ and SeO₂ and a standard enthalpy of zirconium diselenite formation have been obtained. The value of enthalpy has been equal to -58.1±3.43 kJ mol^-1 in ZrO_2(solid)+2SeO_2(solid) Zr(SeO₃)_2(solid) reaction. The standard enthalpy of zirconium diselenite formation is equal to H_f,298⁰Zr(SeO₃)_2(solid)= -1603.2±3.8 kJ mol^-1. The H_f,298⁰ Zr(SeO₃)_2(solid) value has been determined for the first time.     

Water Formation in Non-Hydrolytic Sol–Gel Routes: Selective Synthesis of Tetragonal and Monoclinic Mesoporous Zirconia as a Case Study

Several non-hydrolytic sol–gel syntheses involving different precursors, oxygen donors, and conditions have been screened aiming to selectively produce mesoporous t-ZrO₂ or m-ZrO₂ with significant specific surface areas. The in situ water formation was systematically investigated by Karl Fisher titration of the syneresis liquids. XRD and nitrogen physisorption were employed to characterize the structure and texture of the ZrO₂ samples. Significant amounts of water were found in several cases, notably in the reactions of Zr(OnPr)₄ with ketones (acetone, 2-pentanone, acetophenone), and of ZrCl₄ with alcohols (benzyl alcohol, ethanol) or acetone. Conversely, the reactions of Zr(OnPr)₄ with acetic anhydride or benzyl alcohol at moderate temperature (200 °C) and of ZrCl₄ with diisopropyl ether appear strictly non-hydrolytic. Although reaction time and reaction temperature were also important parameters, the presence of water played a crucial role on the structure of the final zirconia: t-ZrO₂ is favored in strictly non-hydrolytic routes, while m-ZrO₂ is favored in the presence of significant amounts of water. ¹H and ¹³C NMR analysis of the syneresis liquids allowed us to identify the main reactions responsible for the formation of water and of the oxide network. The morphology of the most interesting ZrO₂ samples was further investigated by electron microscopy (SEM, TEM).     

Synthesis of Highly Dispersed Zirconium Carbide

The reduction of zirconium oxide with nanofibrous carbon to obtain highly dispersed zirconium carbide was studied. The optimum reduction conditions were determined. The reaction products were identified using modern physicochemical methods (scanning electron microscopy, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, sedimentation analysis, differential scanning calorimetry). The product obtained appeared to be single-phase zirconium carbide containing no more than 2 wt % impurities. The powder particles are aggregated (mean diameter 14.9–15.0 μm, specific surface area 1.5–1.7 m² g^–1). The oxidation of zirconium carbide starts at 480°С and is complete at 800°С.     

Zr 改性MnOx/MWCNTs催化剂的结构特征与低温SCR活性

以ZrO（NO₃）₂·2H₂O为前驱体对多壁碳纳米管（MWCNTs）进行了改性并负载MnO_x制备了MnO_x/ZrO₂/MWCNTs 催化剂. 考察了Zr 对催化剂低温选择性催化还原（SCR）反应活性的影响,并通过多种分析手段对催化剂的结构进行了表征. 结果表明Zr 的添加对催化剂的低温SCR活性具有显著的促进作用,当Zr 负载量为30%时,催化剂活性最佳. X射线衍射（XRD）、拉曼（Raman）光谱、透射电镜（TEM）、N₂吸附-脱附的表征结果分析表明,适量的Zr 改性促进了MnO_x在载体表面的分散,增强金属氧化物与MWCNTs 之间的作用,也能增加催化剂的比表面积、孔容和孔径. X 射线光电子能谱（XPS）、H₂程序升温还原（H₂-TPR）和NH₃程序升温脱附（NH₃-TPD）的分析结果则显示,Zr 能提高催化剂表面化学吸附氧浓度,促进Mn³⁺转化为Mn⁴⁺,从而使催化剂表面的活性位点增多,氧化还原能力增强,同时还提高了催化剂表面酸性位点的数量和强度,促进了NH₃的吸附,是MnO_x/ZrO₂/MWCNTs 催化剂低温SCR活性提高的主要原因.     

Low temperature complete combustion of dilute propane over Mn-doped ZrO2 (cubic) catalysts

Combustion of dilute propane (0.9 mol%) over Mn-doped ZrO₂ catalysts prepared using different precipitating agents (viz. TMAOH, TEAOH, TPAOH, TBAOH and NH₄OH), having different Mn/Zr ratios (0.05—0.67) and calcined at different temperatures (500—800°C), has been thoroughly investigated at different temperatures (300—500°C) and space velocities (25,000–100,000 cm³ g⁻¹ h⁻¹) for controlling propane emissions from LPG-fuelled vehicles. Mn-doped ZrO₂ catalyst shows high propane combustion activity, particularly when its ZrO₂ is in the cubic form, when its Mn/Zr ratio is close to 0.2 and when it is prepared using TMAOH as a precipitating agent and calcined at 500—600°C. Pulse reaction of propane in the absence of free-O₂ over Mn-doped ZrO₂ (cubic) and Mn-impregnated ZrO₂ (monoclinic) catalysts has also been investigated for studying the relative reactivity and mobility of the lattice oxygen of the two catalysts. Both reactivity and mobility of the lattice oxygen of Mn-doped ZrO₂ are found to be much higher than that of Mnimpregnated ZrO₂. Propane combustion over Mn-doped ZrO₂ catalyst involves a redox mechanism     

Combustion Derived Nanocrystalline‐ZrO2 and Its Catalytic Activity for Biginelli Condensation under Microwave Irradiation

Nanocrystalline zirconium(IV) oxide (nc‐ZrO₂) possessing high surface area was synthesized by a low temperature eco‐friendly solution combustion method using a new organic fuel alanine. The powder XRD, SEM and surface area measurements were carried out for characterization of nc‐ZrO₂. The powder XRD results revealed that, the nc‐ZrO₂ has the pure tetragonal phase. The crystallite size calculated by Scherrer's formula and BET surface area were found to be ca. 53–57 nm and ca. 275 m²/g, respectively. SEM micrograph exhibited the macroporous nature of the powder. nc‐ZrO₂ has been employed as a catalyst for the solvent‐free synthesis of 3,4‐dihydro‐ pyrimidin‐2‐ones (DHPMs) by a microwave (MW) assisted one‐pot, multicomponent Biginelli condensation reaction of araldehydes, ethylacetoacetate and urea or thiourea. DHPMs are obtained in good to excellent yields (85%–96%) under this reaction condition within short interval of time (10–20 min).     

Substrate temperature influenced ZrO2 films for MOS devices

The effect of substrate temperature on the direct current magnetron-sputtered zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) dielectric films was investigated. Stoichiometric of the ZrO₂ thin films was obtained at an oxygen partial pressure of 4.0 × 10⁻² Pa. X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the crystallite size in the layer was increased from 4.8 to 16.1 nm with increase of substrate temperature from 303 to 673 K. Metal-oxide-semiconductor devices were fabricated on ZrO₂/Si stacks with Al gate electrode. The dielectric properties of ZrO₂ layer and interface quality at ZrO₂/Si were significantly influenced by the substrate temperature. The dielectric constant increased from 15 to 25, and the leakage current density decreased from 0.12 × 10⁻⁷ to 0.64 × 10⁻⁹ A cm⁻² with the increase of substrate temperature from 303 to 673 K.     

Fabrication of sol–gel derived ZrO2 thin film for HR coatings via rapid thermal annealing process

The properties of sol–gel derived ZrO₂ thin films heated via a novel method of rapid thermal annealing process were studied. We investigated the effects of heat-treatment schedules with different ramp rates on the refractive index and thickness of ZrO₂ thin films as well. By controlling the heating treatment parameter, the refractive index of the ZrO₂ coatings can be adjusted from 1.69 up to 1.9 continuously, which can meet different requirement for high reflectance well. The thickness of crack-free ZrO₂ coatings can be easily controlled by employing different experimental parameters. The result of X-ray diffraction shows that as-deposited film is amorphous, and it remains stable up to the heating temperature of 400 °C. However, it begins to crystallize as the temperature increases further attaining 500 °C. Meanwhile, the surface morphology was evaluated by atomic force microscopy and the result shows that the surface of the ZrO₂ coating is smooth and uniform with root means square of 0.63 nm for the measured area of 5 × 5 μm. As a typical example, ZrO₂ thin films with refractive index of 1.9 are chosen for highly reflective coatings. Nearly full reflective mirror at 1,064 nm was fabricated on fused silica substrate. The laser induced damage thresholds of 22 J/cm² (1,064 nm, 10 ns) and 14.6 J/cm² (1,064 nm, 10 ns) are obtained for ZrO₂ coating and ZrO₂/SiO₂ multilayer coatings respectively.     

Reactions of Metal Salts and Alkali Metal Nitrates. Role of the Metal Precursors and Alkali Metal Ions in the Resulting Phase of Zirconia

Zirconia powders are prepared by reaction of a zirconium precursor with an alkali metal nitrate. The major part of the reactions takes place before the melting points and then the reactions go slowly to completion at 450°C in the molten salts. The roles of the precursor and the alkali metal ion are discussed considering the reaction between two precursors, octahydrated zirconium oxychloride and zirconium tetrachloride, and two nitrates, LiNO₃ and NaNO₃, and some resulting physico-chemical differences. The obtained zirconia powders contain very small amounts of alkali metal ions which act as stabilizing agent. Their effect on the balance tetragonal-monoclinic ZrO₂ depends upon the homogeneity of their distribution which is related to their ability to diffuse inside the bulk of particles and their polarizing power when located mainly on the surface.     

负载钨催化剂的载体效应及其表面酸性

运用BET、XRD、FT-Raman以及微量吸附量热等手段对由浸渍三种晶型氧化锆及其前体氢氧化锆制备的负载钨催化剂的结构及其表面酸性进行了研究。结果表明起始原料和制备条件对氧化锆的结构有显著影响。浸渍在氢氧化锆上的钨物种会使氢氧化锆转变为四方晶型氧化锆。但浸渍于氧化锆上的钨物种使氧化锆发生晶型转变相对较难。负载钨催化剂表面强酸位的形成与载体晶型、表面钨物种WO_x以及WO_x与载体氧化锆之间的相互作用有关。催化剂上的强酸位可因残留的Na⁺离子所毒化或阻抑。少量Y³⁺离子对表面酸性则无明显影响。