Synthesis of rod-like ZrB 2 under concentrated solar radiation

Abstract Rod-like zirconium diboride (ZrB 2 ) was synthesized for the first time using concentrated solar energy. The process involved the preparation of a Zr/O/C/B complex by sol–gel preparation at 120 °C, followed by carbothermic reduction in a quartz-windowed solar reactor under an argon atmosphere at 1300 °C for 25 min. The structural, morphological, and thermal properties of the resulting ZrB 2 were investigated by FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, and TGA/DSC. Phase transformations of the precursor at 1100, 1200, and 1300 °C confirmed the formation of hexagonal ZrB 2 with minor zirconia residues. The final product exhibited nanorod morphology with well-defined crystal growth along the (001) plane and crystal size of 56.1 nm. These results highlight the effectiveness of concentrated solar energy in promoting the rapid and sustainable synthesis of advanced ceramics and demonstrate its potential for large-scale nanomaterial production.