On the densification of cubic ZrO2 nanocondensates by capillarity force and turbostratic C–Si–H multiple shell

A turbostratic C–Si–H lamellar phase with 0.35–0.39 nm interspacing and ZrO2 condensates having cubic (c), tetragonal and monoclinic structures stabilized by increasing particle size were synthesized by pulsed laser ablation on Zr plate in TEOS and characterized by X-ray/electron diffraction and optical spectroscopy. The c-ZrO2 phase ca. 10% denser than the ambient lattice was stabilized as 3–10 nm sized cubo-octahedral nanoparticles but as abnormal large-sized (up to 30 nm) ones when encapsulated by the C1−xSix:H multiple shell with defective graphite-like structure units to exert an effective compressive stress. The potential application of such core–shell nanostructure with enhanced binding of Zr and O ions and implication for natural dynamic occurrence of the C1−xSix:H phase are addressed.