Synthesis of submicrometer zirconium carbide formed from inorganic–organic hybrid precursor pyrolysis

Zirconium carbide (ZrC) was synthesized from inorganic–organic hybrid precursor’s pyrolysis by solution-based processing. Zirconium-containing complexes, which were obtained by chelation of oxide bidentate ligands to zirconium, were used to combine with phenolic resin to form precursors for ZrC. The precursors using specific ligands including acetylacetone, ethyleneglycol, and salicylic acid transformed into pure ZrC at a relatively low temperature (1,550 °C) in addition to that using lactic acid. As a comparison, synthesis of ZrC only using zirconium oxychloride octahydrate (ZrOCl₂·8H₂O) and phenolic resin was also conducted. The synthesized powders had a small average crystallite size (~300 nm), and a low oxygen content (~2.5 at.%). The conversions from as-synthesized preceramic precursors to ceramics were studied by means of FTIR, SEM, EDS, XRD, and XPS. The oxidation behavior of the synthesized ZrC in air was studied by DSC-TG analysis.