Low temperature synthesis of pure cubic ZrO2 nanopowder: structural and luminescence studies

UiO-66 MOF-Derived Ru@ZrO2 Catalysts for Photo-Thermal CO2 Hydrogenation

The use of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as templates or precursors in the manufacture of heterogeneous catalysts is highly attractive due to the transfer of MOFs’ inherent porosity and homogeneous metallic distribution to the derived structure. Herein, we report on the preparation of MOF-derived Ru@ZrO2 catalysts by controlled thermal treatment of zirconium-based MOF UiO-66 with ruthenium moieties. Ru3+ (3 or 10 mol%) precursor was added to UiO-66 synthesis and, subsequently, the as-synthesized hybrid structure was calcined in flowing air at different temperatures (400–600 °C) to obtain ZrO2-derived oxides doped with highly dispersed Ru metallic clusters. The materials were tested for the catalytic photo-thermal conversion of CO2 to CH4. Methanation experiments were conducted in a continuous flow (feed flow rate of 5 sccm and 1:4 CO2 to H2 molar ratio) reactor at temperatures from 80 to 300 °C. Ru0.10@ZrO2 catalyst calcined at 600 °C was able to hydrogenate CO2 to CH4 with production rates up to 65 mmolCH4·gcat.–1·h–1, CH4 yield of 80% and nearly 100% selectivity at 300 °C. The effect of the illumination was investigated with this catalyst using a high-power visible LED. A CO2 conversion enhancement from 18% to 38% was measured when 24 sun of visible LED radiation was applied, mainly due to the increase in the temperature as a result of the efficient absorption of the radiation received. MOF-derived Ru@ZrO2 catalysts have resulted to be noticeably active materials for the photo-thermal hydrogenation of CO2 for the purpose of the production of carbon-neutral methane. A remarkable effect of the ZrO2 crystalline phase on the CH4 selectivity has been found, with monoclinic zirconia being much more selective to CH4 than its cubic allotrope.

Zirconia-based nanomaterials: recent developments in synthesis and applications

In the last decade, the whole scientific community has witnessed great advances and progress in the various fields of nanoscience. Among the different nanomaterials, zirconia nanomaterials have found numerous applications as nanocatalysts, nanosensors, adsorbents, etc. Additionally, their exceptional biomedical applications in dentistry and drug delivery, and interesting biological properties, viz. anti-microbial, antioxidant, and anti-cancer activity, have further motivated the researchers to explore their physico-chemical properties using different synthetic pathways. With such an interest in zirconia-based nanomaterials, the present review focuses systematically on different synthesis approaches and their impact on the structure, size, shape, and morphology of these nanomaterials. Broadly, there are two approaches, viz., chemical synthesis which includes hydrothermal, solvothermal, sol-gel, microwave, solution combustion, and co-precipitation methods, and a greener approach which employs bacteria, fungus, and plant parts for the preparation of zirconia nanoparticles. In this review article, the aforementioned methods have been critically analyzed for obtaining specific phases and shapes. The review also incorporates a detailed survey of the applications of zirconia-based nanomaterials. Furthermore, the influence of specific phases, morphology, and the comparison with their counterpart composites for different applications have also been included. Finally, the concluding remarks, prospects and possible scope are given in the last section.

Synthesis of ZrO2:Dy3+ Nanoparticles: Photoluminescent, Photocatalytic, and Electrochemical Sensor Studies

Solution combustion was employed to create a series of ZrO2:Dy3+ (1-11 mol percent) nanoparticles (NPs) using oxalyl dihydrazide (ODH) as the fuel. ZrO2:Dy3+ NPs were subjected to calcination at about 700°C. ZrO2:Dy3+ NPs comprised of 1 to 11 mol% of Dy3+ were characterized by employing the X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopic (TEM), UV-visible, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) techniques. The crystallite diameters of 1 to 11 mol% ZrO2:Dy3+ NPs were observed to range from 8.1 nm to 16.3 nm, exhibiting spherical shape. According to BET tests, the pore volume of ZrO2:Dy3+ NPs was determined to be 100.129 cm3/g. The mean pore diameter of ZrO2:Dy3+ NPs was determined to be 4.803 nm from the Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) plot. The photoluminescence and photocatalytic dye degradation properties of ZrO2:Dy3+ NPs were investigated. The acid red 88 (AR88) dye was applied to appraise the photocatalytic activities of the NPs under UV irradiation. ZrO2:Dy3+ NPs with 3 mol% Dy3+ exhibited improvised photocatalytic activity due to the operative departure of charge carriers. The electrochemical examination of ZrO2:Dy3+ NP modified carbon paste electrode in 0.1 N HCl demonstrated considerable redox potential output, as evidenced by cyclic voltammetric and amperometric measurements. The electrochemical sensor studies on ZrO2:Dy3+ NPs exhibited potentiality towards sensing of highly toxic metals like mercury and lead.

Heterogeneous adsorbent based on CeZrO2 nanoparticles doped magnetic graphene oxide used for vortex assisted magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction of erythromycin in chicken

A simple, fast, and efficient method of vortex assisted magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction for separation and pre-concentration of erythromycin in chicken samples prior to high LC-UV determination has been developed. The novel heterogeneous CeZrO₂ nanoparticles doped magnetic graphene oxide, for use as an efficient nanosorbent, was synthetised and applied for the adsorption of erythromycin. The synthetised nanosorbent was characterised using both Fourier-transform infra-red (FT-IR) and energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX) spectroscopy together with field emission scanning electron microscopy-EDX. To obtain the best extraction condition and maximum extraction efficiency of erythromycin, the effect of important parameters including pH, amount of sorbent, vortexing time, ionic strength, sample volume, and desorption conditions were investigated. At optimum conditions, a linear range of 0.25-300 µg kg^-1, LOD (S/N = 3) of 0.079 µg kg^-1, and LOQ (S/N = 10) of 0.270 µg kg^-1 were obtained. The precision of the method was established as having an RSD (%) at 100 µg kg^-1 of erythromycin for seven replicates of 2.6% and 3.2% for the intra-day and the inter-day, respectively. Recoveries over 94.0% confirmed a high capability of the proposed method for separation and determination of erythromycin residues in chicken being one of the most important animal products.

Silica@zirconia Core@shell Nanoparticles for Nucleic Acid Building Block Sorption

The development of delivery systems for the immobilization of nucleic acid cargo molecules is of prime importance due to the need for safe administration of DNA or RNA type of antigens and adjuvants in vaccines. Nanoparticles (NP) in the size range of 20-200 nm have attractive properties as vaccine carriers because they achieve passive targeting of immune cells and can enhance the immune response of a weakly immunogenic antigen via their size. We prepared high capacity 50 nm diameter silica@zirconia NPs with monoclinic/cubic zirconia shell by a green, cheap and up-scalable sol-gel method. We studied the behavior of the particles upon water dialysis and found that the ageing of the zirconia shell is a major determinant of the colloidal stability after transfer into the water due to physisorption of the zirconia starting material on the surface. We determined the optimum conditions for adsorption of DNA building blocks, deoxynucleoside monophosphates (dNMP), the colloidal stability of the resulting NPs and its time dependence. The ligand adsorption was favored by acidic pH, while colloidal stability required neutral-alkaline pH; thus, the optimal pH for the preparation of nucleic acid-modified particles is between 7.0-7.5. The developed silica@zirconia NPs bind as high as 207 mg dNMPs on 1 g of nanocarrier at neutral-physiological pH while maintaining good colloidal stability. We studied the influence of biological buffers and found that while phosphate buffers decrease the loading dramatically, other commonly used buffers, such as HEPES, are compatible with the nanoplatform. We propose the prepared silica@zirconia NPs as promising carriers for nucleic acid-type drug cargos.

The Influence of Annealing Temperature on the Structural and Optical Properties of ZrO2 Thin Films and How Affects the Hydrophilicity

Zirconium oxide (ZrO2) thin films were prepared by the sol-gel dip coating technique, in combination with annealing at different temperatures in air atmosphere, with the final goal of studying the water wettability of the surface. The annealing effects on the structural and optical properties of the ZrO2 films were investigated to check the characteristics of the material. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of ZrO2 annealed at 450 °C and 550 °C show the formation of tetragonal phase, with layers constituted by nanoparticles with average particle size of 21 nm and 25 nm, respectively. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectra revealed the presence of vibrational modes associated to ZrO2. Photoluminescence (PL) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis) spectroscopy was used for optical properties. All deposited ZrO2 thin films presented a high optical transparency, with an average transmittance above 70% in the visible range (400–700 nm). The hydrophilic properties of ZrO2 films were characterized by means of the measurements of the contact angle. When the sample was annealed at 550 °C, the hydrophilicity reached the best behavior, which was explained as an effect of the structural and morphological change of the films.

Interaction between Amorphous Zirconia Nanoparticles and Graphite: Electrochemical Applications for Gallic Acid Sensing Using Carbon Paste Electrodes in Wine

Amorphous zirconium oxide nanoparticles (ZrO₂) have been used for the first time, to modify carbon paste electrode (CPE) and used as a sensor for the electrochemical determination of gallic acid (GA). The voltammetric results of the ZrO₂ nanoparticles-modified CPE showed efficient electrochemical oxidation of gallic acid, with a significantly enhanced peak current from 261 µA ± 3 to about 451 µA ± 1. The modified surface of the electrode and the synthesised zirconia nanoparticles were characterised by scanning electrode microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDXA), X-ray powdered diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Meanwhile, the electrochemical behaviour of GA on the surface of the modified electrode was studied using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), showing a sensitivity of the electrode for GA determination, within a concentration range of 1 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹ to 1 × 10⁻³ mol L⁻¹ with a correlation coefficient of R² of 0.9945 and a limit of detection of 1.24 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ (S/N = 3). The proposed ZrO₂ nanoparticles modified CPE was successfully used for the determination of GA in red and white wine, with concentrations of 0.103 mmol L⁻¹ and 0.049 mmol L⁻¹ respectively.

Structures and characteristics of atomically thin ZrO2 from monolayer to bilayer and two-dimensional ZrO2-MoS2 heterojunction

The understanding of the structural stability and properties of dielectric materials at the ultrathin level is becoming increasingly important as the size of microelectronic devices decreases. The structures and properties of ultrathin ZrO₂ (monolayer and bilayer) have been investigated by ab initio calculations. The calculation of enthalpies of formation and phonon dispersion demonstrates the stability of both monolayer and bilayer ZrO₂ adopting a honeycomb-like structure similar to 1T-MoS₂. Moreover, the 1T-ZrO₂ monolayer or bilayer may be fabricated by the cleavage from the (111) facet of non-layered cubic ZrO₂. Moreover, the contraction of in-plane lattice constants in monolayer and bilayer ZrO₂ as compared to the corresponding slab in cubic ZrO₂ is consistent with the reported experimental observation. The electronic band gaps calculated from the GW method show that both the monolayer and bilayer ZrO₂ have large band gaps, reaching 7.51 and 6.82 eV, respectively, which are larger than those of all the bulk phases of ZrO₂. The static dielectric constants of both monolayer ZrO₂ (ε _‖ = 33.34, ε _⊥ = 5.58) and bilayer ZrO₂ (ε _‖ = 33.86, ε _⊥ = 8.93) are larger than those of monolayer h-BN (ε _‖ = 6.82, ε _⊥ = 3.29) and a strong correlation between the out-of-plane dielectric constant and the layer thickness in ultrathin ZrO₂ can be observed. Hence, 1T-ZrO₂ is a promising candidate in 2D FETs and heterojunctions due to the high dielectric constant, good thermodynamic stability, and large band gap for applications. The interfacial properties and band edge offset of the ZrO₂-MoS₂ heterojunction are investigated herein, and we show that the electronic states near the VBM and CBM are dominated by the contributions from monolayer MoS₂, and the interface with monolayer ZrO₂ will significantly decrease the band gap of the monolayer MoS₂.

Charge compensation assisted enhancement of photoluminescence in combustion derived Li+ co-doped cubic ZrO2:Eu3+ nanophosphors

Red light emitting cubic Zr_0.99Eu_0.01O₂:Li⁺ (0-9 mol%) nanoparticles are synthesized by a low temperature, self-propagating solution combustion method using oxalyl di-hydrazide (ODH) as fuel. In this study, we report systematic investigation of the effect of lithium ion (Li⁺) concentration on the structural properties and the photoluminescence of zirconia. With increasing lithium concentration, the crystallinity of the samples increases and the lattice strain decreases. The higher crystallinity is likely due to charge compensation achieved by replacing one Zr⁴⁺ ion by a Eu³⁺ and a Li⁺ ion. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) reveal a mesoporous structure characteristic of combustion derived nanomaterials. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra show that the intensity of the red emission (606 nm) is highly dependent on Li⁺ ion concentration. Furthermore there is a promising enhancement in the associated lifetime. Upon Li⁺ doping, the PL intensity of the samples is found to increase by two fold compared to the undoped sample. Variation of PL intensity with Li⁺ concentration is attributed to the differences in probability of non-radiative recombination (relaxing). Intensity parameters (Ω₂, Ω) and radiative properties such as transition rates (A), branching ratios (β), stimulated emission cross-section (σ_e), gain bandwidth (σ_e × Δλ_eff) and optical gain (σ_e × τ) are calculated using the Judd-Ofelt theory. The calculated values suggest that in optimally co-doped samples, in addition to improved crystallinity and charge compensation, the lowering of Eu³⁺ site symmetry and the increase in the covalency of Eu-O bonding due to interstitial Li are responsible for the observed enhancement in PL intensity.

Photocatalytic performance of freestanding tetragonal zirconia nanotubes formed in H2O2/NH4F/ethylene glycol electrolyte by anodisation of zirconium

ZrO₂ nanotubes (ZrNTs) were produced by anodisation of zirconium foil in H₂O₂/NH₄F/ethylene glycol electrolyte. The as-anodised foils were then soaked in the anodising electrolyte for 12 h. Soaking weakens the adherence of the anodic layer from the substrate resulting in freestanding ZrNTs (FS-ZrNTs). Moreover, the presence of H₂O₂ in the electrolyte also aids in weakening the adhesion of the film from the foil, as foil anodised in electrolyte without H₂O₂ has good film adherence. The as-anodised FS-ZrNTs film was amorphous and crystallised to predominantly tetragonal phase upon annealing at >300 °C. Annealing must, however, be done at <500 °C to avoid monoclinic ZrO₂ formation and nanotubes disintegration. FS-ZrNTs annealed at 450 °C exhibited the highest photocatalytic ability to degrade methyl orange (MO), whereby 82% MO degradation was observed after 5 h, whereas FS-ZrNTs with a mixture of monoclinic and tetragonal degraded 70% of MO after 5 h.

Antibacterial properties of Cu–ZrO2thin films prepared via aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition

The antibacterial properties of a Cu–ZrO₂film grownviaaerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition are presented.

Green synthesis of Y2O3:Dy(3+) nanophosphor with enhanced photocatalytic activity

Facile and green route was employed for the synthesis of Y2O3:Dy(3+) (1-11 mol%) nanostructures (NSs) using Aloe vera gel as fuel. The formation of different morphologies of Y2O3:Dy(3+) NSs were characterized by SEM, TEM and HRTEM. PXRD data and Rietveld analysis evident the formation of single phase Y2O3 with cubic crystal structure. The influence of Dy(3+) ion concentration on the structure morphology, UV absorption, PL emission and photocatalytic activity of NSs were investigated. NSs exhibited an intense warm white emission with CIE chromaticity coordinates (0.32, 0.33) and average CCT value ∼5525 K which corresponds to vertical day light. The control of Dy(3+) ion on Y2O3 matrix influences the photocatalytic decolorization of Metanil Yellow as a model compound was evaluated. The enhanced photocatalytic activities of core shell structured Y2O3:Dy(3+) (1 mol%) was attributed to co-operation effect of dopant concentration, crystallite size, textural properties and capability for reducing electron-hole pair recombination. Further, the recycling catalytic ability of Y2O3:Dy(3+) (1 mol%) nanostructure was also evaluated and found promising photocatalytic performance with negligible decrease in decolorization efficiency even after sixth successive cyclic runs. Considering its green, facile synthesis and recyclable feature from an aqueous solution, the present Y2O3:Dy(3+) (1 mol%) nanophosphor can be considered as one of the ideal photocatalyst for various potential applications.

Combustion synthesized tetragonal ZrO2: Eu(3+) nanophosphors: structural and photoluminescence studies

Novel crystalline tetragonal ZrO2: Eu(3+) phosphors were prepared by a facile and efficient low temperature solution combustion method at 400±10 °C using oxalyl dihydrazide (ODH) as fuel. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns and Rietveld confinement of as formed ZrO2: Eu(3+) (1-11 mol%) confirmed the presence of body centered tetragonal phase. The crystallite size estimated from Scherrer's and W-H plots was found to be in the range of 7-17 nm. These results were in good agreement with transmission electron microscopy studies. The calculated microstrain in most of the planes indicated the presence of tensile stress along various planes of the particles. The observed space group (P42/nmc) revealed the presence of cations in the 2b positions (0.75, 0.25, 0.25) and the anions in the 4d positions (0.25, 0.25, 0.45). The optical band gap energies estimated from Wood and Tauc's relation was found to be in the range 4.3-4.7 eV. Photoluminescence (PL) emission was recorded under 394 and 464 nm excitation shows an intense emission peak at 605 nm along with other emission peaks at 537, 592, 605 and 713 nm. These emission peaks were attributed to the transition of (5)D0→(7)FJ (J=0, 1, 2, 3) of Eu(3+) ions. The high ratio of Intensity of ((5)D0→(7)F2) and ((5)D0→(7)F1) infers that Eu(3+) occupies sites with a low symmetry and without an inversion center. CIE color coordinates indicated the red regions which could meet the needs of illumination devices.

Aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition of a ZrO2–TiO2 composite thin film with enhanced photocatalytic activity

ZrO₂–TiO₂ composite thin film deposited via aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition showed enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to pure anatase TiO₂. The photocatalytic properties were determined using resasurin redox dye.