Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
The carbon retention patterns based on evolution of FT-IR spectra atdifferent calcination temperatures for ZrO2 gels derived fromZr-n-propoxide-acetylacetone-water-isopropanol system are examined indetail. For most captured carbon species, carbon can be depleted atrelatively low temperature of about 400°C. However, for lattice-includedspecies, especially those incorporated into lattice during phase transition,a temperature around 900°C is needed to eliminate carbon in the gels. It isfound that water treatment alone does not provide new routes for carbonretention in as-prepared ZrO2 gels. When gels are pre-treatedwith Ni2+ and water, new forms of carbon containing species canbe observed. This is attributed to an inter-diffusion of Ni2+ and ZrO2 matrix and the catalytic effect of resultant solidsolution NiO-ZrO2 on the retained carbon.