Defect structure of zirconium oxide nanosized powders with Y2O3, Sc2O3, Cr2O3 impurities

Formation mechanisms of paramagnetic centers originating from Zr³⁺ and Cr³⁺ ions as well as the influence of composition of nanoparticles on thermogeneration processes of these paramagnetic centers in ZrO2 structure were studied. A set of nanosized powders of zirconium oxide was investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance method: nominally pure ZrO2; ZrO2 with Y2O3 and Sc2O3; ZrO2 with Cr2O3; ZrO2 with Y2O3 and Cr2O3. It is observed that the influence of annealing on EPR lines of Zr³⁺ and Cr³⁺ ions is different. Nuclear magnetic resonance data have shown that zirconium dioxide nanoparticles with Sc and Y impurities include two types of water molecules and two types of hydroxyl groups.