Zirconium perchlorate as cold as possible. Zirconium perchlorate is very hydroscopic forming hydrates, and it is hydrolysed by water to yield zirconyl perchlorate, ZrO(ClO). Zirconium perchlorate reacts with vaseline, methyl nitrate or acetonitrile. Zirconium perchlorate is inert towards carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and dimethylformamide. Zirconium perchlorate reacts with benzene at 20°C, but at -10°C crystals of Zr(ClO)•CH are deposited. Zirconium perchlorate has solid state transition around 45°C, a melting point between 95.5 and 96.0°C and a decomposition point starting around 120°C. The zirconyl perchlorate formed in the heat decomposition, itself decomposes around 290°C to form zirconia, chlorine and oxygen. In the gas phase
Cubic zirconia moissanite. Cubic zirconia is crystallographically isometric, an important attribute of a would-be diamond simulant. During synthesis zirconium oxide would naturally form monoclinic crystals, its stable form under normal atmospheric conditions. A stabilizer is required for cubic crystals to form, and remain stable at ordinary temperatures; this may be typically either yttrium or calcium oxide, the amount of stabilizer used depending on the many recipes of individual manufacturers. Therefore, the physical and optical properties of synthesized CZ vary, all values being ranges. It is a dense substance, with a specific gravity between 5.6 and 6.0 — at least 1.6 times that