Crystal structure of compositionally homogeneous, nanocrystalline ZrO2–CeO2 solutions was investigated by X-ray powder diffraction as a function of temperature for compositions between 50 and 65 mol % CeO2. ZrO2-50 and 60 mol % CeO2 solid solutions, which exhibit the t′-form of the tetragonal phase at room temperature, transform into the cubic phase in two steps: t′-to-t″ followed by t″-to-cubic. But the ZrO2-65 mol % CeO2, which exhibits the t″-form, transforms directly to the cubic phase. The results suggest that t′-to-t″ transition is of first order, but t″-to-cubic seems to be of second order.

The transition between tetragonal and cubic phases in nanostructured ZrO2-Sc2O3 solid solutions by high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction using synchrotron radiation is presented. ZrO2-8 and 11 mol% Sc2O3 nanopowders that exhibit the t′- and t″-forms of the tetragonal phase, respectively, were synthesized by a stoichiometric nitrate-lysine gel-combustion route. The average crystallite size treated at 900°C was about 25 nm for both compositions. Our results showed that t′-t″ and t″-cubic transitions take place for the 8 and 11 mol% Sc2O3 samples, respectively.

Crystal and local structures (long- and short-range order, respectively) of four nanocrystalline zirconia-based solid solutions—ZrO2-6 and 16 mol % CaO and ZrO2-2.8 and 12 mol % Y2O3—synthesized by a pH-controlled nitrate-glycine gel-combustion process were studied. These materials were characterized by synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. Our XRD results indicate that the solid solution with low CaO and Y2O3 contents (6 and 2.8 mol %, respectively) exhibit a tetragonal crystallographic lattice, and those with higher CaO and Y2O3 contents (16 and 12 mol %, respectively) have a cubic lattice. Moreover, our EXAFS study demonstrates that the tetragonal-to-cubic phase transitions, for increasing CaO and Y2O3 contents, are both related to variations in the local symmetry of the Zr–O first neighbor coordination sphere.