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Zirconium dioxide, ZrO2, called zirconia (not to be confused with zircon, which is a mineral, and Zirkon™, which is a product in the market) is manufactured for use as a white pigment from minerals by conversion to Zr(SO4)2, followed by hydrolysis.
Zirconium dioxide is used also as a refractory material (crucibles, furnace lining), and it is insoluble in water, only slightly soluble in HCl and HNO3, and, however, slowly soluble in HF upon heating with 66% H2SO4.
Zirconium dioxide, also called zirconia, is an inorganic ceramic material made from the element zirconium combined with oxygen.
CAS Number: 1314-23-4
Molecular Formula: O2Zr
Molecular Weight: 123.22
EINECS Number: 215-227-2
Synonyms: Rhuligel, Zirconium White, Zirconic anhydride, Zirox Zt 35, PCS (filler), CAP (oxide), Norton 9839, Zircoa 5027, TZ 3YTSK, NZS 30A, Nissan Zirconia Sol NZS 20A, CC 10, C.I. 77990, ZD 100, RefChem:1101191, 215-227-2, DTXCID001396163, 1314-23-4, DTXSID1042520, Zirconium dioxide, Zirconium oxide (ZrO2), Zirconium(IV) oxide, dioxozirconium, Baddeleyite (ZrO2), 12036-23-6, Zirconium(IV) oxide calcia stabilized, Nyacol Zr (acetate), Torayceram Sol ZS-OA, Zirconium oxide (VAN), CCRIS 6601, Bis(oxido)zirconium, EINECS 215-227-2, EINECS 234-843-2, NSC 12958, AI3-29087, Zirconium(IV) oxide CP, SCHEMBL15909, UNII-S38N85C5G0, Zirconium(IV) oxide 99.9%, Zirconium oxide catalyst support, Zirconium(IV) oxide Puratronic, DTXSID301315847, NSC12958, Zirconium oxide powder 0.8 micron, AKOS015914003, Zirconium oxide nanopowder 10 nm, Zirconium oxide nanopowder 20–30 nm, Zirconium(IV) oxide granular 3–6 mm, CS-0111468, NS00112646, Zirconium oxide calcia stabilized 325 mesh, Zirconium oxide micron powder 1–3 micron, EC 215-227-2, Q36200, Yttria stabilized zirconium oxide nanopowder 20 nm, Zirconium(IV) oxide purum >=99% ZrO2 + HfO2 basis, Yttria stabilized zirconium oxide nanopowder 15–25 nm, Yttria stabilized zirconium oxide nanopowder 20–30 nm, Yttria stabilized zirconium oxide powder 0.3–0.5 micron, Zirconium oxide yttria stabilized 10–15% 20–45 microns, Zirconium(IV) oxide nanopowder <100 nm particle size (TEM), Zirconium(IV) oxide powder 5 µm 99% trace metals basis, Zirconium(IV) oxide pellets diam. x thickness 10 mm x 3.5 mm, Zirconium(IV) oxide pellets diam. x thickness 13.5 mm x 9.5 mm, Zirconium(IV) oxide pellets diam. x thickness 17.5 mm x 5 mm, Zirconium(IV) oxide pellets diam. x thickness 18.5 mm x 7.3 mm, Zirconium(IV) oxide 18% in H2O colloidal dispersion stabilized with 1.3% yttrium oxide, Zirconium(IV) oxide 99.99% trace metals basis purity excludes ~2% HfO2, Zirconium(IV) oxide sputtering target diam. x thickness 2.00 in. x 0.25 in. 99.95% trace, Zirconium(IV) oxide, Spectrographic Grade, 99.96% min (metals basis);Zirconium(IV) oxide, 99.7% (metals basis excluding Hf), Hf <75ppm;Zirconium(IV) oxide, 99+% (metals basis excluding Hf), HfO2 2%;Zirconium(IV) oxide, 99.5% (metals basis excluding Hf), Hf <100ppm;Zirconium(IV) oxide, 20% in H2O, colloidal dispersion;Zirconium(IV) oxide, Puratronic(R), 99.978% (metals basis);Zirconium(IV) oxide, 99.8% (metals basis excluding Hf);Zirconium(IV) oxide, 99+% (metals basis excluding Hf), HfO2 2%
Zirconium dioxide is used mainly as a refractory material, ceramic additive, pigment stabilizer, abrasive, and structural ceramic because it has extremely high heat resistance, chemical stability, hardness, and toughness compared with many other oxides.
It is widely used in advanced ceramics, dental materials, coatings, and industrial applications.
Zirconium dioxide improves durability, thermal stability, and mechanical strength.
Zirconium dioxide is a crystalline metal oxide that exists in different crystal forms (monoclinic, tetragonal, cubic), and its properties can be modified by adding stabilizers such as yttria (yttrium oxide).
These stabilized forms are used to prevent cracking and improve toughness.
Zirconium dioxide improves structural stability and material performance.
Zirconium dioxide appears as a white, odorless powder in its raw form, but when processed it becomes a dense, hard ceramic with very high resistance to wear and heat.
It is insoluble in water and highly resistant to most acids and bases.
Zirconium dioxide improves chemical durability and industrial usability.
Zirconium dioxide is valued for being a high-performance ceramic oxide, meaning it can withstand extreme temperatures, mechanical stress, and corrosive environments where many materials would fail.
This makes it useful in engineering and medical-grade materials.
Zirconium dioxide improves performance under extreme conditions.
Zirconium dioxide is best described as a highly stable inorganic ceramic oxide used for heat-resistant ceramics, dental materials, coatings, pigments, and industrial applications requiring high strength and chemical resistance.
Zirconium dioxide, or zirconia, is a highly durable, heat-resistant, and chemically inert ceramic material.
It occurs naturally as the mineral baddeleyite and is widely celebrated for its extreme fracture toughness (often called "ceramic steel"), making it a staple in both advanced engineering and medicine.
Zirconium dioxide, sometimes known as zirconia (not to be confused with zirconium silicate or zircon), is a white crystalline oxide of zirconium.
Its most naturally occurring form, with a monoclinic crystalline structure, is the mineral baddeleyite.
A dopant stabilized cubic structured zirconia, cubic zirconia, is synthesized in various colours for use as a gemstone and a diamond simulant.
Zirconium dioxide is also important in materials science because of its “phase transformation toughening” behavior, meaning that under stress it can undergo a controlled crystal structure change that actually helps stop cracks from spreading.
Zirconium dioxide is one of the main reasons zirconia is much tougher than most other ceramics.
This improves fracture resistance and mechanical reliability.
In stabilized forms (especially yttria-stabilized zirconia, YSZ), the material keeps a stable cubic or tetragonal structure at room temperature, which greatly improves strength, thermal stability, and ionic conductivity compared with pure zirconia.
This stabilization is essential for most high-tech applications.
Zirconium dioxide improves structural stability and functional performance.
In solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), Zirconium dioxide is used because it can conduct oxygen ions at high temperatures, allowing it to act as an electrolyte that enables efficient electrochemical energy conversion from fuels like hydrogen.
This is a key clean energy technology.
Zirconium dioxide improves energy efficiency and renewable energy systems.
In oxygen sensing technology, Zirconium dioxide’s ability to conduct oxygen ions is used to measure oxygen concentration differences between exhaust gases and air, which is why it is widely used in automotive lambda sensors.
This helps engines run more efficiently and reduces emissions.
Zirconium dioxide improves combustion control and environmental performance.
In biomedical engineering, Zirconium dioxide is widely used because it is highly biocompatible, meaning it does not trigger strong immune reactions, and it is also resistant to corrosion inside the human body.
This makes it suitable for long-term implants.
Zirconium dioxide improves medical compatibility and implant safety.
In dental biomechanics, Zirconium dioxide’s combination of high strength and relatively low wear against opposing teeth makes it one of the best materials for modern dental restorations, especially in high-load molar regions.
It is also aesthetically improved with modern translucent formulations.
Zirconium dioxide improves dental performance and aesthetics.
Melting point: 2700 °C (lit.)
Boiling point: 5000 °C (lit.)
Density: 5.89 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.)
Flash point: 5000°C
storage temp.: Store at room temperature
solubility: insoluble
form: powder
Specific Gravity: 5.89
color: White
PH: 4–5
Resistivity: 2.3 × 10*10 (ρ/μΩ.cm)
Water Solubility: insoluble
Thermal Conductivity: 1.849 W/(m·K)
Crystal Structure: Monoclinic; Tetragonal; Cubic
crystal system: Monoclinic
Merck: 14,10180
Space group: P21/c
Lattice constant:
a/nm: 0.51505
b/nm: 0.52031
c/nm: 0.53154
α/o: 90
β/o: 99.194
γ/o: 90
V/nm3: 0.1406
Dielectric constant: 12.5 (0.0℃)
Exposure limits:
ACGIH: TWA 5 mg/m3; STEL 10 mg/m3
NIOSH: IDLH 25 mg/m3; TWA 5 mg/m3; STEL 10 mg/m3
Stability: Stable.
Cosmetics Ingredients Functions: OPACIFYING
InChI: 1S/2O.Zr
InChIKey: RVTZCBVAJQQJTK-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES: O=[Zr]=O
Zirconium dioxide is considered one of the best currently known biocompatible ceramic materials along with the metallic titanium.
Zirconium dioxide, or zirconia, ZrO2, is the word in presentday dentistry. We may say that zirconia is a material of choice in contemporary restorative dentistry for several reasons.
Moreover, restorative dentistry is about adhesion promotion and about durable bonding of restorations.
Zirconium dioxide has found wide applications in dental restorations, such as bridges, crowns, dental implant abutments, and full dental implant systems.
Zirconium dioxide caught attraction due its superior mechanical properties as superior flexure strength (which is 1200 MPa compared to 1000 MPa for steel), high fracture toughness, high hardness, excellent fatigue, and damage resistance.
The material is resistant to chemical attacks and does not react easily with strong acids, alkalis, or other corrosive material.
Zirconium dioxide is a white and opaque material that does not dissolve or react with water and other solvents.
It is an excellent thermal and chemical insulator and is used in fuel cells.
In wear-resistant engineering parts, Zirconium dioxide is used in pump seals, bearings, valves, and precision components because it resists abrasion and maintains shape under frictional stress far better than many metals in corrosive environments.
This is important in chemical and mechanical industries.
Zirconium dioxide improves wear resistance and service life.
In optical and photonic applications, special forms of Zirconium dioxide are used in advanced ceramics and coatings where transparency, refractive index control, or thermal stability is needed, although it is not a common optical glass.
It is used more in engineered optical ceramics than lenses.
Zirconium dioxide improves optical material engineering.
In high-temperature structural systems, Zirconium dioxide is used as a thermal insulator because it has very low thermal conductivity compared with most ceramics, helping protect underlying materials from heat damage.
This is critical in aerospace and turbine technology.
Zirconium dioxide improves thermal insulation and heat protection.
In ceramic glazes and pigments, Zirconium dioxide compounds are used to increase opacity and whiteness in tiles, sanitary ware, and decorative ceramics, improving visual appearance and brightness stability.
This is especially important in industrial ceramics.
Zirconium dioxide improves aesthetic quality and color performance.
In additive manufacturing (3D printing of ceramics), Zirconium dioxide powders are increasingly used to produce complex, high-strength ceramic parts for medical, dental, and engineering applications.
This allows customized geometries that are difficult to produce traditionally.
Zirconium dioxide improves manufacturing flexibility and precision engineering.
Zirconium dioxide is widely used in advanced engineering ceramics, where its toughness (especially yttria-stabilized zirconia) allows it to resist cracking better than many other ceramics, making it suitable for structural components exposed to mechanical stress.
This includes cutting tools, valves, and engine parts.
Zirconium dioxide improves mechanical reliability and wear resistance.
In dental materials, Zirconium dioxide is used for crowns, bridges, and implants because it is biocompatible, strong, and has a tooth-like color when processed, making it one of the most important modern ceramic dental materials.
It can also resist chewing forces very effectively.
This improves dental durability and aesthetic performance.
In refractory applications, zirconium dioxide is used in high-temperature environments such as furnace linings, crucibles, and thermal barriers because it can withstand temperatures above 2000°C without melting.
It is especially valuable in metallurgy and glass production.
Zirconium dioxide improves heat resistance and industrial longevity.
Zirconium dioxide is used on turbine blades in jet engines and power plants to protect metal surfaces from extreme heat, reducing thermal damage and improving energy efficiency.
Stabilized zirconia is particularly effective in this role.
Zirconium dioxide improves thermal protection and engine efficiency.
In pigments and opacifiers, zirconium compounds are used to improve whiteness and opacity in ceramics, glazes, and some coatings, helping create bright, stable colors.
This is important in ceramic tiles and sanitary ware.
This improves aesthetic quality and color stability.
In abrasives and polishing materials, Zirconium dioxide is used due to its hardness and wear resistance, making it effective in grinding media and precision polishing applications.
It can outperform many traditional oxide abrasives.
Zirconium dioxide improves surface finishing and material processing.
In oxygen sensor technology, Zirconium dioxide is used in lambda sensors in vehicles because it conducts oxygen ions at high temperatures, allowing it to measure oxygen concentration in exhaust gases.
This is critical for modern engine efficiency control.
Zirconium dioxide improves combustion control and emissions regulation.
In fuel cell technology, zirconium dioxide is used as an electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells, where it transports oxygen ions at high temperature to generate electricity efficiently.
This is important in clean energy systems.
Zirconium dioxide improves energy conversion and sustainability technology.
In chemical resistance applications, zirconia is used in environments where materials must resist acids, alkalis, and corrosive chemicals, such as in chemical processing equipment.
It maintains stability under harsh conditions.
This improves corrosion resistance and equipment lifespan.
In environmental and safety systems, Zirconium dioxide-based sensors help monitor gases and emissions, contributing to pollution control and industrial safety monitoring.
This is widely used in automotive and industrial systems.
Zirconium dioxide improves environmental monitoring and safety control.
Uses Of Zirconium dioxide:
Zirconium dioxide as an abrasive is used to make grinding wheels and special sandpaper.
It is also used in ceramic glazes, in enamels, and for lining furnaces and hightemperature molds.
Zirconium dioxide resists corrosion at high temperatures, making it ideal for crucibles and other types of laboratory ware.
Zirconium dioxide is used as a "getter" to remove the last trace of air when producing vacuum tubes.
Zirconium dioxide is the most common compound of zirconium found in nature.
It has many uses, including the production of heat-resistant fabrics and high-temperature electrodes and tools, as well as in the treatment of skin diseases.
The mineral baddeleyite Zirconium dioxide is the natural form of zirconium oxide and is used to produce metallic zirconium by the use of the Kroll process.
The Kroll process is used to produce titanium metal as well as zirconium.
The metals, in the form of metallic tetrachlorides, are reduced with magnesium metal and then heated to “red-hot” under normal pressure in the presence of a blanket of inert gas such as helium or argon.
Zirconium dioxide is mainly used as a ceramic material, refractory compound, stabilizer, abrasive, and functional oxide because it provides high strength, heat resistance, and chemical stability.
In dental applications, it is used for crowns and implants.
This improves strength and biocompatibility.
In industrial ceramics, it is used for structural components and cutting tools.
This improves durability and wear resistance.
In refractory systems, it is used for high-temperature furnace materials.
This improves heat resistance.
In thermal barrier coatings, it is used in turbines and engines.
This improves thermal protection.
In sensors and electronics, it is used in oxygen sensors and fuel cells.
This improves measurement accuracy and energy efficiency.
Zirconium dioxide is mainly used as a high-performance ceramic, refractory material, stabilizer, and functional oxide because it provides extreme strength, heat resistance,
and chemical stability.
In dental materials, it is used for crowns and implants.
This improves strength and biocompatibility.
In industrial ceramics, it is used for wear-resistant parts.
This improves durability and lifespan.
In thermal barrier coatings, it is used in turbines and engines.
This improves heat protection.
In fuel cells and sensors, it is used for oxygen ion conduction.
This improves energy efficiency and emission control.
In advanced engineering systems, it is used for high-temperature and corrosion-resistant components.
Zirconium dioxide improves structural reliability.
Zirconium dioxide is mainly used as a high-performance ceramic material, refractory compound, thermal barrier coating, and functional oxide because it provides extreme heat resistance, high strength, excellent wear resistance, and chemical stability.
In dental applications, it is used for crowns, bridges, and implants due to its high strength, biocompatibility, and tooth-like appearance when processed into translucent zirconia.
This improves dental durability and aesthetic performance.
In industrial ceramics, it is used for cutting tools, bearings, seals, valves, and pump components because it resists wear, friction, and corrosion even under harsh operating conditions.
This improves mechanical durability and service life.
In thermal barrier coatings, it is applied to jet engine and gas turbine components to protect metal parts from extreme heat and reduce thermal degradation.
Zirconium dioxide improves engine efficiency and heat resistance.
In refractory applications, it is used in furnace linings, crucibles, and high-temperature processing equipment because it remains stable at very high temperatures.
Zirconium dioxide improves heat stability and industrial performance.
In oxygen sensors and automotive systems, it is used in lambda sensors to measure oxygen levels in exhaust gases, helping optimize fuel combustion and reduce emissions.
Zirconium dioxide improves fuel efficiency and environmental performance.
Zirconium dioxide is used as an oxygen-ion conducting electrolyte, enabling efficient conversion of chemical energy into electricity at high temperatures.
This improves energy efficiency and clean energy technology.
In advanced biomedical applications, it is used in implants and prosthetics due to its biocompatibility, corrosion resistance, and long-term stability in the human body.
Zirconium dioxide improves medical implant safety and longevity.
In ceramic and pigment industries, it is used to improve whiteness, opacity, and brightness in glazes, tiles, and sanitary ceramics.
This improves aesthetic quality and material finish.
Zirconium oxide occurs in nature as the mineral baddeleyite.
The oxide has many industrial applications.
Zirconium dioxide is used as a refractory material.
Zirconium dioxide is used in making highly reflective glazes for ceramics, glasses, linings of metallurgical furnaces, crucibles, and laboratory equipment.
The oxide is used to produce oxyhydrogen and incandescent lights. Other uses are in producing piezoelectric crystals, heat-resistant fibers, and high-frequency induction coils.
The hydrous oxide is used in treating dermatitis resulting from poison ivy.
Safety Profile Of Zirconium dioxide:
Zirconium dioxide is generally considered a low chemical hazard material in its solid form, especially in finished ceramic products, because it is highly stable, insoluble, and not reactive under normal conditions.
However, certain risks exist mainly during industrial processing as a fine powder.
The main hazard is respiratory irritation from inhalation of fine dust, which can occur during grinding, milling, or handling of powdered zirconia in manufacturing environments.
Zirconium dioxide is a mechanical dust effect rather than chemical toxicity.
This improves occupational safety awareness.
Skin contact is generally non-hazardous, as zirconia is chemically inert and does not penetrate the skin, although prolonged exposure to dust may cause mild dryness or irritation.
Washing with water is sufficient for removal.
Zirconium dioxide improves handling safety.
Eye contact may cause mechanical irritation, especially from airborne particles or direct exposure to powder.
Protective goggles are recommended in industrial settings.
Zirconium dioxide improves workplace protection.
From a toxicological perspective, zirconium dioxide is considered low toxicity and biologically inert, meaning it does not significantly react in the body or cause systemic poisoning under normal exposure conditions.
However, like many fine particulates, excessive inhalation of dust over long periods should be avoided.
