Synthesis and characterization of ZrC nanoparticles produced by sol-gel method

In this research, zirconium carbide nanoparticles were synthesized by sol-gel method using pH and temperature parameters and controlling it during the process. Zirconium propoxide and phenolic resin were used as Zr and carbon raw materials, respectively. The effect of pH and temperature parameters in the synthesis process of these nano powders was investigated. The results in the case of tuberculosis showed that by controlling the pH in the range of 5, Zr-containing precursor particles can be synthesized in sizes below 10 nm. In FTIR data, Zr-O and Zr-C bonds were detected in the range of 560 and 1505 cm-1, respectively. The XRD results showed that no zirconium carbide particles were formed at the temperature of 700ºC and the initial compounds containing carbon and zirconia did not perform any chemical reaction yet. At the temperature of 1320 ºC, the initial buds of zirconium carbide have started to form. By increasing the temperature up to 1420 ºC, through carbothermal reactions, raw materials are converted into zirconium carbide. At a temperature of 1420 ºC, the size of the resulting crystallites is about 5 nm. In the characterization of the Raman spectrum, two relatively strong bands are seen in the ranges of 600 and 530 cm-1, which are related to the Zr-C bands of ZrC particles. During the hydrolysis of zirconium alkoxide in the presence of carbon phase and condensation at 60 ºC, a gel with Zr-O-C bonds was formed. These conditions made it possible to obtain the ZrC product at low temperatures, which was confirmed by DTA analysis. DTA/TG analysis showed that the initial buds of ZrC particles were formed in the temperature range of 1320 ºC, which is confirmed by the X-ray diffraction pattern. SEM microstructure images showed that zirconium carbide particles were formed in the range of dimensions below 100 nm and the particle size distribution was in a narrow and uniform range.