RAHMAN FAZLI - School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Narmak, Iran
SAFAEI NAEINI - School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Narmak, Iran
FARHAID GOLESTANTI-FARD - School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Narmak, Iran
ALDIREZA MIRHABBI - School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Narmak, Iran

Calcium zirconate (CaZrO3) is an important raw material for refractories and advanced ceramics. In this paper, low temperature synthesis of nano CaZrO, and the effect of ZrO, paricle size on its microstructure and synthesis temperature via molten salt method were investigated. Two mixtures were used as starting materials. The first was a mixture of Na2CO3, CaCl2 and nano size ZrO2 and the second was a mixture of Na2CO3, CaCl2 and micron size ZrO2. On heating, Na2CO, reacted with CaCl2 to form NaCl and in situ CaCO3. Na2CO3-NaCl molten eutectic salt provided a liquid medium for reaction of CaCO, and ZrO, to form CaZrO. XRD and SEM analysis were used for characterization of synthesized powders. Results shows that the samples containing nano size ZrO, were single-phase CaZrO3 in 800 °C that is about 200 °C lower than the samples containing micronsize ZrO2. The particle size of synthesized CaZrO, from the first mixture was 80-100 mm that is about 150 nm finer than that synthesized powders from the second mixture. Morphological exploration showed the Template growth mechanism play a dominant role in the low temperature molten salt synthesis of CaZrO, nano particles.

Molten salt method; Nano materials; Calcium zirconate