A bubbling process was applied to a hydrolysis of Zr-alkoxide. Using a porous silica glass (PSG) with fine pores, a vaporized mixture of water and propanol was bubbled through a zirconium n-propoxide solution. A milky turbid dispersion was obtained which consisted of the monodispersion of zirconium hydroxide or hydrous zirconia. The dispersion was stable over at least several weeks. The particles in the system were monomorphic sphere, of which diameter was 0.35±0.05μm, where about 70 percent of the particles.
The hydrous zirconia obtained in this experiment had microporous structure (pore volume : 0.23 m
l/g, surface area : 95m
2/g), and was crystallized in tetragonal after a heat treatment at 500°C for 1h.
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