Zirconia is an artificial crystal synthetic material, while zircon is a natural ornament. They are two completely different substances.

Zirconia is an oxide of zirconium, a synthetic material. The solid substance is white, odorless, tasteless and soluble in alkali and acid. Zirconia is also called zirconia ceramics. It is a ceramic material made of zirconium oxide as the main raw material. It has the characteristics of good toughness, high strength and strong corrosion resistance.

Zircon is a silicate mineral widely found in the earth's crust. It has stable chemical properties and is not easily affected by the evolution of the earth's crust. Due to different impurities, the color is also different. Some are yellow and brown, and some are purple and green. It is mainly obtained from granite, sandstone and gravel. It has high wear resistance and refractive properties and is widely used in gemstones, jewelry and other fields.

Different physical properties

Zirconia exists in a monoclinic structure. Its hardness is higher than that of zircon, reaching 8.5 to 9.2, and its density is between 5.6 and 6.0 g/cm³. Zirconia has good heat resistance and wear resistance, and has good stability in high temperature environments.

The crystal structure of zircon is orthorhombic, usually round or hexagonal, with a hardness of 7.5 to 8 and a density range of 4.6 to 4.7 g/cm³. The melting point of zircon is 2.550℃, and the thermal expansion coefficient is relatively large.

Different chemical properties

Zirconium oxide is more active than zircon in chemical properties and can form compounds with many metals. Zirconium oxide has excellent oxygen ion conductivity and can also be used as an electrolyte material. In addition, zirconium oxide can be doped with elements such as yttrium and gadolinium for the manufacture of semiconductors, optical devices, etc.

Zircon is relatively stable in chemical properties and is insoluble in water and most acid and alkali solutions, but will be corroded by some strong oxidants, such as molten alkali and oxygen, sodium hydroxide-aluminum hydroxide mixtures, etc. The main components of zircon are SiO2 and ZrO2, of which the content of ZrO2 is usually between 35-50%.

Different uses

Uses of zirconia

Ceramic industry: It can be used to manufacture advanced ceramic products such as cups, tableware, vases, etc.

Chemical industry: As a catalyst copyright, it can be used in energy, petrochemical and other fields to improve production efficiency.

Smelting industry: It is an excellent refractory material and can be used in high-temperature furnaces, crucibles and other fields.

Environmental protection industry: It can be used to manufacture environmental protection equipment, such as desulfurization towers, flue gas purification equipment, etc., to effectively reduce air pollution.

Health care industry: It can be used to make medical and health care products such as artificial joints, orthotics and dentures.

Zircon uses

In the jewelry industry, it has a diamond-like appearance and can be used to make exquisite jewelry, high-end watches, etc.

In the aerospace field, it has the characteristics of high strength and light weight, and can be used to manufacture tires, components, oxidation catalysts, etc. for aircraft and spacecraft.

In the metallurgical field, it can be used to manufacture high-strength special steels, refractory materials and high-temperature alloys.

In the chemical field, it has the characteristics of high strength, high-temperature stability and corrosion resistance, and can be used to manufacture stainless steel and other corrosion-resistant alloys.

In other fields, it can also be used to manufacture medical equipment, nuclear fuel, shipbuilding and other fields.

In summary, from the perspective of physical and chemical properties, it can be seen that zirconium oxide and zircon are two different substances with very different uses. Zirconium oxide is a synthetic material that is widely used in the industrial field; while zircon is a natural mineral with the appearance of diamonds, high cost performance, and is very popular in the jewelry industry.(xingaonai)