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. Polyhedral 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.