"Fine tuning of the sizes and phases of ZrO<sub>2</sub> nanocrystals" by Xiangxing Xu and Xun Wang

Article Title

Fine tuning of the sizes and phases of ZrO₂ nanocrystals

Authors

Xiangxing Xu, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Xun Wang, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

Keywords

Nanocrystals, polymorphism, phase stability

Abstract

Monodisperse and pure phase zirconia (tetragonal: T-ZrO2; monoclinic: M-ZrO2) nanocrystals with fi nely tuned sizes as well as ultrathin T-ZrO2 nanowires have been selectively synthesized by a facile solvothermal method. For the fi rst time, a diagram of the size to effective strain was mapped for both T-ZrO2 and M-ZrO2, which gives a good explanation for the size- and cation doping-dependent stability of the two phases on the sub-10 nm scale. This work may expand our understanding of the phase properties of not only zirconia, but also various other polymorphic nanocrystals.