Soft chemistry route for the preparation of highly dispersed transition metals on zirconia

Abstract Molten nitrates were used to prepare in one step dispersed oxoanions at the surface ofzirconia. The simultaneous reaction of zirconium oxychoride with another precursor salt of V, Nb, Cr, Mo or W generates interactions between the growing zirconia particles and the oxoanions of the other transition metal present in the melt. As a consequence highly dispersed oxoanions at the surface of zirconia with enhanced textural properties are easily produced. The products were characterized by XRD, BET measurements, SEM, UV and XPS spectroscopies.