Stabilization of cubic phase in scandium-doped zirconia nanocrystals synthesized with sol-gel method

A new room-temperature synthesis of nanocrystals of scandium-doped zirconium oxide by sol-gel method is reported. The structure of the obtained product is checked with standard structural analysis methods. The crystal phase of ZrO ₂ -Sc ₂ O ₃ nanocrystals changes from monoclinic to tetragonal and cubic with the increase in scandium concentration. The importance of the cubic phase, which appears at 10 mol% and refines at 16 mol% of Sc ₂ O ₃ concentration, is emphasized. The UV-Vis absorption spectra of the product are measured, and its bandgap is evaluated from the fundamental absorption edge. The value of the bandgap was calculated as 5.65 eV for the cubic phase.