Photoluminescence properties of zirconium oxide (ZrO2) nanoparticles

In the present article, we report the structural and optical properties of zirconium oxide (ZrO2) nanoparticles, synthesized via chemical co-precipitation method. The effect of calcination temperature on structural and optical properties of ZrO2 nanoparticles is analyzed through XRD, FESEM, EDX, FTIR, UV–Vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. XRD spectra reveals the tetragonal phase at calcination temperature 600°C and crystallinity of samples increases with calcination temperature. At 800°C phase transition from tetragonal to tetragonal-monoclinic mixed phase is noticed. The FESEM images shows that the particles are of irregular shape and highly agglomerated. From Uv-Vis absorption spectra it is found a strong quantization and varying band gap with calcination temperature. The fluorescence emission spectra shows the change in emission wavelength and intensity with calcination temperature. At higher calcination temperature emission intensity is decreased which may be due to phase change and the formation of surface defects such as oxygen vacancies and interstitials.