Zirconium dioxide for aesthetic reasons, or of 2) strong, extremely durable dental prostheses constructed entirely from monolithic zirconia, with limited but constantly improving aesthetics. Zirconia stabilized with yttria (yttrium oxide), known as yttria-stabilized zirconia, can be used as a strong base material in some full ceramic crown restorations. Transformation toughened zirconia is used to make ceramic knives. Because of the hardness, ceramic-edged cutlery stays sharp longer than steel edged products. Due to its infusibility and brilliant luminosity when incandescent, it was used as an ingredient of sticks for limelight. Zirconia has been proposed to electrolyze carbon monoxide and oxygen from the atmosphere
Zirconium(IV) chloride precursor for chemical vapor deposition of zirconium dioxide and zirconium diboride. In organic synthesis zirconium tetrachloride is used as a weak Lewis acid for the Friedel-Crafts reaction, the Diels-Alder reaction and intramolecular cyclisation reactions. It is also used to make water-repellent treatment of textiles and other fibrous materials. Hydrolysis of ZrCl gives the hydrated hydroxy chloride cluster called zirconyl chloride. This reaction is rapid and virtually irreversible, consistent with the high oxophilicity of zirconium(IV). For this reason, manipulations of ZrCl typically require air-free techniques. ZrCl is the principal starting compound for the synthesis of many organometallic complexes of zirconium. Because