Synthesis\nof Heterometallic Zirconium Alkoxide Single-Source\nPrecursors for Bimetallic Oxide Deposition

Abstract

Single-source precursors are ubiquitous in a number of\nareas of\nchemistry and material science due to their ease of use and wide range\nof potential applications. The development of new single-source precursors\nis essential in providing entries to new areas of chemistry. In this\nwork, we synthesize nine new structurally related bimetallic metal-zirconium\nalkoxides, which can be used as single-source precursors to zirconia-based\nmaterials. Detailed analysis of the structures of these complexes\nprovides important insights into the main factors influencing their\naggregation. Investigation of the thermal decomposition of these species\nby TGA, PXRD, SEM, and EDS reveals that they can be used to produce\nbimetal oxides, such as Li₂ZrO₃, or a mixture\nof metal oxides, such as CuO and ZrO₂. Significantly, these\nstudies show that thermodynamically unstable forms of zirconia, such\nas the tetragonal phase, can be stabilized by metal doping, providing\nthe promise for targeted deposition of zirconia materials for specific\napplications.