Zirconia ceramics are white in color and yellow or gray when containing impurities. They generally contain HfO2 and are difficult to separate. There are three crystal states of pure ZrO2 under atmospheric pressure. The production of zirconia ceramics requires the preparation of high-purity, well dispersed, ultrafine particles and narrow particle size distribution powders. There are many methods for the preparation of zirconia ultrafine powders. The purification of zirconia mainly includes chlorination and thermal decomposition, alkali metal oxidation decomposition, lime melting, plasma arc, precipitation, colloid, hydrolysis, spray pyrolysis, etc.
In terms of structural ceramics, zirconia ceramics are widely used in the field of structural ceramics due to their high toughness, high bending strength, high wear resistance, excellent insulation performance, and thermal expansion coefficient close to that of steel. The main products include Y-TZP grinding balls, dispersed and grinding media, nozzles, ball valve seats, zirconia molds, micro fan shafts, fiber optic pins, fiber optic sleeves, wire drawing molds and cutting tools, wear-resistant tools, clothing buttons, watch cases and straps, bracelets and pendants, ball bearings, lightweight golf ball bats, and other room temperature wear-resistant components.
In terms of functional ceramics, their excellent high-temperature resistance is used as induction heating tubes, refractory materials, and heating elements. Zirconia ceramics have sensitive electrical performance parameters and are mainly used in fields such as oxygen sensors, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), and high-temperature heaters. ZrO2 has a high refractive index (N-21 ^ 22). By adding certain coloring elements (V2O5, MoO3, Fe2O3, etc.) to ultrafine zirconia powder, it can be made into a colorful semi transparent polycrystalline ZrO2 material, shining brightly like a natural gemstone, and can be made into various decorations. In addition, zirconia is widely used in thermal barrier coatings, catalyst carriers, medical, healthcare, refractory materials, textiles, and other fields.
