Highly dispersed suspension of YSZ and zirconia nanoparticles by solvothermal processing

Yttria stablised zirconia (YSZ) and tetragonal ZrO2(t-ZrO2) nanoparticles were synthesised by a solvothermal method using ethanol and isopropanol as solvents. Monodispersed YSZ and t-ZrO2 nanoparticles were produced in ethanol. Uniform spherical aggregates of YSZ nanoparticles were obtained in the isopropanol solution. It was found that the average crystallite size was independent of starting material, solvent and product morphology. The solvent had a major effect on the morphology of the aggregates/agglomerates formed from the initial nanocrystallites. The solvothermal YSZ nanopowder was compared with YSZ nanopowder produced by conventional precipitation–calcination using simultaneous differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The particle size distribution of the agglomerates/aggregates was investigated by light diffraction.