Zirconia

Cubic zirconia

Description

A common name for natural or synthetic zirconium oxide. Synthetic zirconia can be prepared as a clear high refractive index crystal that is used as a synthetic diamond. It can also be prepared as a hard, dense, white ceramic material used for high temperature insulation and abrasives. See oxide zirconium oxide and zirconia cubic zirconia.

Synonyms and Related Terms

zirconium dioxide; zircone (Fr.); Zirkondioxid (Deut.)

Composition	ZrO2

Raman

Raman

Comparisons

Zircon is used as a glaze ingredient, an abrasive, a catalyst, a refractory material in fire brick, and an opacifier in ceramics.

Properties of Common Abrasives

Natural and Simulated Diamonds

Authority

• G.S.Brady, G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998

• Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "zirconia" Encyclopdia Britannica Premium Service. [Accessed 20 Sept. 2005].

• Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zirconia (Accessed Sept. 20, 2005)