Sol-Gel Synthesis of Nanosized Powders and Obtaining Ceramic Composites Based on Zircon and Zirconium Oxide

Nanosized precursor powders of (1 – x )ZrSiO 4 ‒ x ZrO(OH) 2 are synthesized by the sol-gel method with the separate precipitation of components to obtain (1 – x )ZrSiO 4 ‒ x ZrO 2 ceramic composites. The thermal behavior of precursor powders is studied by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry (DSC/TG). Ceramic composites with a high level of microhardness are obtained by sintering powders, preliminarily calcined at 850°C, in air in the temperature range 1000‒1300°C. In the future, such ceramic composites can be used as matrices for solidification and isolating high-level waste (HLW).