Effect of LiF dosage on morphology of ZrO2 prepared by the molten salt method

Zirconia nanorods and polyhedral particles were prepared using the molten-salt method. The effects of the LiF dosage on the ZrO2 crystal morphology were studied using XRD combined with Rietveld refinement, FE-SEM combined with EDS, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and high-temperature microscopy. The results show that the ZrO2 obtained with LiF is in the monoclinic phase. ZrO2 nanorods were synthesized at low LiF dosages. Poly-hedral ZrO2 particles were synthesized, and the ZrO2 crystal planes (100) and (200) were exposed to a high LiF dosage. LiF promoted the dissolution of ZrO2 and was adsorbed onto the ZrO2 crystal surface. This work provides a new strategy for controlling morphology and crystal surface exposure.