Synthesis and Characterization of High Dielectric Constant Zirconia Nano-Rods for Advanced Sensors and Energy Storage Applications

Abstract

This study reports the synthesis of high dielectric constant zirconia oxide (ZrO2) nanorods (NRs) via a co-precipitation method followed by calcination at 700°C for 2 hours. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirms a mixed-phase composition of orthorhombic and monoclinic structures, while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals distinct nanorods. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) verifies the elemental composition. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy indicates band gap energy of 1.9 eV, aligning better with orthorhombic zirconia. UV-Vis analysis suggests oxygen vacancy defects potentially influencing the optical properties due to the nanorod morphology. Importantly, dielectric studies show a high dielectric constant of 29 at 1 MHz, which is approximately four times higher than commercially available ZrO2.