MOLYBDENUM (VI) INTERACTION WITH ZIRCONIA SURFACE AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE CRYSTALLIZATION AND SINTERING

Hydrous zirconium oxide containing Mo(VI) oxide, prepared at different pH, was investigated to elucidate the influence of interacting surfac e species on zirconia crystallization, together with other solid-state processes such as sintering and phase transformation. Several techniq ues were applied including X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, reflec tance spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results s how that the pH affects the uptake and the nature of the Mo adsorbed s pecies which, by interacting with the ZrO2 surface, exert different ef fects on the crystallization, sintering and stabilization of the tetra gonal form of zirconia.