Synthesis of zirconium carbide powders using chitosan as carbon source

Chitosan–zirconium complex, obtained by chelation of chitosan to zirconium, formed a novel precursor for zirconium carbide (ZrC). ZrC was synthesized via carbothermal reduction reaction using zirconium oxychloride (ZrOCl2·8H2O), and chitosan as sources of zirconium and carbon. The initiation of carbothermal reduction process was at about 1400 °C, and the reaction was substantially completed at a relatively lower temperature (∼1550 °C), compared with that using ZrOCl2·8H2O and phenolic resin as a carbon source. The conversions from as-synthesized preceramic precursors to ceramics were studied by means of FTIR, DSC-TG, SEM, EDS and XRD.