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Thermal Plasma Synthesis of Zirconia Powder and Preparation of Premixed Ca-Doped Zirconia

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Abstract

A novel study about the synthesis of zirconia and calcia-stabilized zirconia powders were carried out by DC thermal plasma starting from cheap precursors as the carbonates. Different operational parameters were investigated to explore the effects of the process conditions, such as the plasma torch power and the gas flow rate on the composition and the morphology of the powders. The products phase changes from a metastable tetragonal to monoclinic/tetragonal mixture. Basically a main tetragonal phase was obtained at low torch power (7 kW) while the amount of monoclinic phase linearly rises with the power, up to 66 wt% at 26 kW of plasma power and high gas flow rate. The gas flow rate also affects the shape and the size of the powder, where high values reduce powder aggregation and enhance the spherical shape. The best results were achieved at 22 kW of plasma power and high gas flow rate, with powders of roundness about 79% and a wide particle size distribution. Adding the calcium carbonate to the zirconium carbonate (corresponding to 8 wt% CaO in the final mixture), the plasma treatment mainly produces a tetragonal phase zirconia, that at 1400 °C in furnace changes in a stable cubic phase. These powders could be made suitable for further industrial applications after proper treatments.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank some ENEA colleagues as Mr. Giuseppe Pandolfi, Mr. Giovanni De Filippo and Eng. Silvestro Cavaliere for the plant assistance and society FKV srl for the analysis on the particle size distribution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nanomaterials and Devices Laboratory (SSPT-PROMAS-NANO), ENEA, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Piazzale E. Fermi 1, 80055, Portici, NA, Italy

    P. Iovane, C. Borriello, S. Portofino, A. De Girolamo Del Mauro, C. Minarini & S. Galvagno

  2. Laboratory of Materials Technologies (SSPT-PROMAS-TEMAF), ENEA, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Via Ravegnana 186, 48018, Faenza, RA, Italy

    G. Magnani

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  1. P. Iovane
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  2. C. Borriello
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Iovane, P., Borriello, C., Portofino, S. et al. Thermal Plasma Synthesis of Zirconia Powder and Preparation of Premixed Ca-Doped Zirconia. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 39, 1397–1411 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11090-019-10011-y

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