Experimental study of the SnO2–ZrO2 phase diagram

The study of the SnO2–ZrO2 phase diagram in the 1230–1750 °C temperature range has shown the existence of an immiscibility gap, leading to two (Zr1−xSnx)O2 and (Sn1−yZry)O2 limited solid solutions. Four compositions were synthesised for each solid solution, leading to pure phases, which were characterised by room-temperature and high-temperature X-ray diffraction. The unit-cell parameters of tetragonal (Sn1−yZry)O2, monoclinic (Zr1−xSnx)O2 and tetragonal (Zr1−xSnx)O2 were determined and correlated with the content of the substituted atom. The monoclinic to tetragonal and reverse reactions for the (Zr1−xSnx)O2 series were also characterised (transition temperatures) when varying the tin mole fraction.