Zirconium dioxide coating on particles of titanium dioxide pigments, as a refractory material, in insulation, abrasives and enamels. Stabilized zirconia is used in oxygen sensors and fuel cell membranes because it has the ability to allow oxygen ions to move freely through the crystal structure at high temperatures. This high ionic conductivity (and a low electronic conductivity) makes it one of the most useful electroceramics. Zirconium dioxide is also used as the solid electrolyte in electrochromic devices. Zirconia is a precursor to the electroceramic lead zirconate titanate ("PZT"), which is a high-K dielectric, which is found in myriad components. The very low
Ceria-zirconia Ceria-zirconia Ceria-zirconia is the name given to a solid solution of cerium (IV) oxide CeO (ceria) and zirconium oxide ZrO (zirconia). The crystal structure adopted by ceria-zirconia depends on the Zr/Ce ratio and temperature. At very low Zr concentrations, ceria-zirconia exhibits the cubic fluorite structure, which is common to both pure ceria and cubic zirconia. However, at higher Zr contents, other crystal structures are formed, including two different tetragonal phases at intermediate Zr concentrations, and a monoclinic phase at very high Zr concentrations. There is both experimental and theoretical evidence showing that the decomposition of ceria-zirconia into Ce-rich and Zr-rich