Microstructure and Formation Mechanisms of Nanowires and Nanoplates ZrO₂ during the ZrB₂ Deposition Process

Abstract

Preparation of boride by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is sensitive to oxygen, subtle changes in oxygen concentration during the deposition of ZrB2 can induce the formation of Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) with a novel nanoplate-stacked structure and nanowire structure. The ZrO2 nanostructure changed with - oxygen concentration. Nanowires with uniform size of 50-100 nm in diameter and over 100 μm in length were obtained at high oxygen concentration, while highly-ordered nanoplate arrays were obtained at low oxygen concentration. Both of these nanostructures were grown in situ on the surface of ZrB2-coating. In this paper, the preparation method of novelty ZrO2 nano-structures grown in situ was provided, the morphologies and compositions of the nano-structural ZrO2 were characterized and the formation mechanism was proposed, which also provides experimental basis for the industrial morphology control of ZrB2 deposited by CVD method.