Strontium zirconium oxide (SrZrO3)

DescriptionStrontium zirconate, as mixed metal oxides with different structural characteristics can be widely applied in the field of electronic ceramics and refractory materials of high melting temperatures, and also can be applied in fuel cells and hydrogen sensors due to their proton conductivity at high temperatures. The performance of strontium zirconate would be related to powder purity, crystal structure and size, which mainly depends on synthesis procedure. The synthesis routes for obtaining strontium with similar purity, homogeneity and chemical composition can fall into solid and wet methods, including conventional solid state reaction, combustion process, co-precipitation, hydrothermal methods, the Pechini process and citrate complexation.

UsesStrontium zirconate was most actively investigated concerning the possibility of its use in magnetohydrodynamic plants. The components of these plants experience the effect of high-temperature (up to 2700°C) high-speed (above 1000 msec) gas flow and electromagnetic fields and are in contact with alkaline additive, oxidizing reactants, and zirconium dioxide electrodes. Strontium zirconate proved to be suitable for such service conditions. Strontium zirconate has been the subject of several investigations because of its technological applications. For instance, Strontium zirconate can be used in the electronic industry as insulators, and its refractory properties are of interest in high-temperature applications. In nuclear safety studies, Strontium zirconate plays an important role as it is formed in the UOz fuel by reaction between the fission products in the fuel matrix, and during core-concrete interactions between the fission products and the oxidized zircaloy cladding. The thermodynamic properties, the structural variants and phase transitions are thus of special interest as they influence the behaviour of hazardous fission products. SrZrO3 (SZO) has been the subject of investigations because of its technological applications. For instance, the wide band gap and high dielectric constant of SZO can be used in the electronic industry, and its refractory properties are of interest in high-temperature applications. Moreover, SZO thin films may be regarded as one of the most promising candidate materials used in optoelectronic devices because of the wide band gap and transparent to visible light.