Combined SANS and SAXS study of the action of ultrasound on the structure of amorphous zirconia gels

TL;DR

This study investigates how ultrasound affects the microstructure and surface properties of amorphous zirconia gels using combined SANS and SAXS techniques, revealing increased surface fractality and surface area without changing primary particle size.

Contribution

It is the first to analyze the combined effects of sonication and pH on zirconia gel structure using SANS and SAXS, providing new insights into ultrasonic treatment impacts.

Findings

Ultrasonic treatment increases surface fractal dimension.

Ultrasonication enhances specific surface area.

Primary particle size remains unchanged.

Abstract

In the present work, we have studied for the first time the combined effect of both sonication and precipitation pH on the structure of amorphous zirconia gels synthesized from zirconium(IV) propoxide. The techniques of small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering (SANS and SAXS) and low temperature nitrogen adsorption provided the integral data on the changes in the microstructure and mesostructure of these materials caused by ultrasonic (US) treatment. Amorphous ZrO2.xH2O synthesized under ultrasonic treatment was found to possess a very structured surface, characterized by the surface fractal dimension 2.9-3.0, compared to 2.3-2.5 for the non US-assisted synthesis, and it was also found to possess a higher specific surface area, while the sizes of the primary particles remain unchanged.