FORMATION OF MICROCRYSTALLINE ZIRCONIA USING THE FUNCTIONALIZED INTERFACE OF A SELF-ASSEMBLED MONOLAYER OF DITHIOL ON POLYCRYSTALLINE GOLD AT ROOM-TEMPERATURE

A self-assembled monolayer of dithiol, namely 1,4-benzenedimethanethio l (BDT), on a polycrystalline gold surface was effectively used to car ry out a two-dimensional reaction between pendent -SH and zirconium io n in solution to produce oriented monoclinic zirconia at room temperat ure on potentiodynamic cycling. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), X-ray diffrac tion (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to follow the monolayer formation, Zr-attachment on the SAM surface, and the su bsequent formation of ZrO2 phase. The XRD analysis shows the growth of the crystal as monoclinic form with a size ranging from 5 to 15 mu m. A tentative reaction scheme and also a mechanism are proposed to unde rstand the role of SAM in changing the size and habit during the cryst allization of ZrO2 at room temperature.