Preparation of CaZrO3 powders by a microwave-assisted molten salt method

CaZrO3 powders were synthesized by a combined molten salt and microwave heating technique, i.e., microwave-assisted molten salt synthesis (MMSS) technique, using ZrO2 and CaCl2 as the main raw materials, and molten LiCl and Na2CO3 as a reaction medium. Phase pure CaZrO3 powders can be synthesized at 900 degrees C for 3 h by using the MMSS method. This synthesis temperature was at least 100 degrees C lower than that required by the conventional molten salt synthesis method. Microstructures and phase compositions of as-prepared CaZrO3 powders were examined by field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM), revealing that the crystalline size of the as-prepared CaZrO3 powders was about 100-300 nm, and the "template formation" mechanism played a dominant role in the synthesis process of MMSS. (C) 2016 The Ceramic Society of Japan. All rights reserved.