Synthesis and Properties of Zirconia Based Single Crystals

Dear Colleagues,

Materials based on zirconium dioxide are among the most widely used materials in modern technology. This is due to a unique combination of electrical, chemical, optical, and mechanical properties, such as high hardness, strength, fracture toughness, oxygen ion conductivity at elevated temperatures, insulating properties at room temperatures, wide spectral transmission range, high refractive indices, chemical inertness and biocompatibility, low thermal conductivity, and catalytic activity. Currently, these materials are used for the manufacture of tools for processing materials by cutting and pressure, solid electrolytes in electrochemical devices, medical implants, thermal barrier and protective coatings, as well as passive and active optical elements in photonics.

The growth of single crystals based on zirconium dioxide is associated with a number of difficulties caused by high melting temperatures, as well as the presence of several polymorphic modifications of zirconium dioxide that are stable in certain temperature ranges. This imposes the need to choose appropriate methods of crystal growth. The synthesis of low-temperature monoclinic modification single crystals is possible by vapor-phase deposition, from a flux hydrothermal method. The growth of high-temperature tetragonal and cubic modifications of single crystals is carried out by optical zone melting and by a skull melting technique.

Studies of the structure and properties of single crystals contribute to a deep understanding of the fundamental properties of materials; this allows us to establish crystal chemical regularities of structure formation, the formation and interaction of structural defects, and their effect on the functional characteristics of the material. For a number of applications, such as photonics, optics, and electronics, the synthesis of high-quality single crystals is crucial.

We kindly invite researchers to contribute to this Special Issue, which is intended to provide new ideas and achievements in synthesis, the study of crystal structure, physical and chemical properties, as well as the use of single crystals based on zirconium dioxide.

Dr. Mikhail A. Borik
Prof. Dr. Elena Lomonova
Guest Editors

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• oxides
• zirconia
• crystal growth
• solid solutions
• solid electrolytes
• crystal structure
• physical and chemical properties
• mechanical properties