Production of zirconia powders from the

Monoclinic ZrO2 has been prepared through the decomposition of ZrSiO4 with soda ash and lime, followed by leaching in hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. The resulting zirconia powders are characterized in terms of their physical and chemical properties. This paper reports on the development of two novel methods for the fabrication of zirconia powders from zircon which do not involve an aqueous solution of the element. Instead, the silicate raw material is reacted with soda ash or lime to form monoclinic zirconia. Silica, and Na- or Ca-silicozirconate, are also formed as by-products, which are leached out with hydrochloric acid and alkali, respectively. Two methods are described: the first involves the decomposition of zircon raw material with soda ash, and the second uses lime. The purity of the zirconia products is influenced by the chemical composition of the raw materials and the amount of soda ash or lime used. The particle size distribution is also significantly affected by the raw material's purity and size, leading to variations in the physical characteristics of the final zirconia powders.