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Tunable Structure of Zirconia Nanoparticles by Biopolymer Gelation: Design, Synthesis and Characterization
Author(s) -
Ramananarivo Hugo Ronald,
Abdelouahdi Karima,
Amer Walid,
Zahouily Mohamed,
Clark James,
Solhy Abderrahim
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
european journal of inorganic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1099-0682
pISSN - 1434-1948
DOI - 10.1002/ejic.201200907
Subject(s) - thermogravimetric analysis , cubic zirconia , biopolymer , chemistry , nanoparticle , chemical engineering , scanning electron microscope , transmission electron microscopy , zirconium , nanotechnology , phase (matter) , adsorption , tetragonal crystal system , polymer , materials science , ceramic , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , engineering
Zirconia nanoparticles (NPs) with a pure tetragonal phase, stable at high temperatures and with hierarchical pore networks, are synthesized from gelling alginate by complexation of zirconium ions within a fibrous cross‐linked biopolymer. The concentration of precursor significantly affected the structural stability, crystal size, and crystal phase of the final material. The zirconia NPs were characterized by thermogravimetric analyses, nitrogen adsorption–desorption, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The method developed herein is straightforward as well as flexible and can pave the way to a host of hierarchical materials for current nanotechnologies.