Mesoporous yttria-zirconia solid solution with improved textural properties prepared via lauric acid-assisted synthesis

The textural properties (specific surface area and pore volume/diameter) of yttria-zirconia (Y2O3-ZrO2) ceramic material are critically important to its application in environmental and industrial catalysis. In this work, we tuned the textural properties of the material by a lauric acid-assisted coprecipitation method with high operability and cost-effectiveness. Lauric acid-modified and non-modified yttrium-zirconium hydroxides were prepared. The two hydroxides were then calcined at 700, 800, 900 and 950 °C, respectively, resulting in eight Y2O3-ZrO2 oxides. The surface properties and thermal decomposition behavior of the hydroxides and the structural and textural properties of the oxides were systematically investigated. It was found that lauric acid was chemically bound to the hydroxide surface, which decreased the crystallite size of the oxides. More importantly, intercrystalline aggregation in the oxides was significantly inhibited during the thermal treatment. As a result, the textural properties of mesoporous Y2O3-ZrO2 solid solution were greatly improved even after the material was calcined at high temperatures. As-prepared materials have higher specific surface area (69 to 24 m2/g) and pore volume (0.24 to 0.18 mL/g) than reported congener materials. This work may stimulate ideas for improved processing techniques which were applied to develop Y2O3-ZrO2 ceramic material with excellent textural properties.