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Zirconia (ZrO₂): Material Properties, Application Fields and Development Trends ## 1. Material Properties of Zirconia Zirconia is an important inorganic non-metallic material and is known as the "King of Ceramics" because of its excellent physical and chemical properties. Its main properties include: - High Melting Point and Chemical Stability: Zirconia has a melting point as high as 2,715°C, which is one of the highest among known oxides. - High Hardness and Wear Resistance: It has a Mohs hardness of 6.5 - 7.5, second only to diamond and silicon carbide. - High Toughness and Thermal Shock Resistance: Zirconia is monoclinic at room temperature and will transform into tetragonal and cubic phases at high temperatures. This phase transformation characteristic gives it high fracture toughness and thermal shock resistance. - Good Electrical Insulation and Ionic Conductivity: It is a good electrical insulator at room temperature, but exhibits good oxygen ion conductivity at high temperatures. - Biocompatibility: It is non-toxic and harmless to biological tissues and does not cause allergic reactions. ## 2. Application Fields of Zirconia Due to its excellent properties, zirconia is widely used in many fields: - Aerospace: It is used to manufacture high-temperature components such as engine blades and thermal barrier coatings. - Automotive Industry: It is used to manufacture high-performance ceramic brakes, engine components, etc. - Biomedicine: Zirconia ceramics are widely used in dental restoration (such as crowns, bridges) and orthopedic implants because of their good biocompatibility and wear resistance. - Electronics Industry: It is used to manufacture electronic ceramic components, insulating materials and high-performance sensors. - Chemical Industry: It is used to manufacture corrosion-resistant reactors, catalyst supports, grinding materials, etc. - Jewelry Industry: Due to its high hardness and wear resistance, zirconia ceramics are used to make high-end jewelry. ## 3. Preparation Methods of Zirconia There are various preparation methods for zirconia, and the common ones include: - Electric Melting Method: It is prepared by high-temperature smelting of raw materials such as zircon sand. - Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD): It is used to prepare high-purity and high-performance zirconia films. - Sol-Gel Method: It is used to prepare nano-scale zirconia powder. ## 4. Development Trends of Zirconia Industry - Technological innovation promotes high purification and functionalization: With the progress of materials science, zirconia is developing towards high purification and functionalization, especially in the fields of electronic materials and medical devices. - Expansion of applications in new energy and environmental protection fields: The applications of zirconia in new energy vehicles, fuel cells, environmental protection equipment and other fields are increasing. - Extension of the industrial chain: The industrial chain of the zirconia industry extends from the upstream raw materials (such as zircon sand) to the downstream applications in multiple fields (such as dental restoration, refractory materials, jewelry, etc.). ## 5. Market Status of Zirconia - Market size growth: With the increasing demand in fields such as new energy vehicles and biomedicine, the market size of zirconia continues to expand. - Acceleration of domestic substitution: The zirconia technology in China is constantly advancing, and the market share of domestic products in the middle and low-end markets is gradually increasing. **Conclusion** Due to its excellent physical and chemical properties, zirconia has broad application prospects in aerospace, automotive, biomedicine, electronics, chemical industry and other fields. Driven by technological innovation and market demand, the zirconia industry will continue to develop in the direction of high purification, functionalization and multi-field applications.