Zirconium Nanostructures Obtained from Anodic Synthesis By-Products and Its Potential Use in PVA-Based Coatings

Nanostructures obtained as a by-product of the electrochemical synthesis of ZrO2 nanotube membranes have scarcely received any attention despite its enormous potential. This is mainly due to its size properties, morphology and composition. In the present work, we characterize these nanostructures and analyze its possible application as an additive in PVA-based coatings. The characterization was performed by XRF, SEM-EDS, TEM and XRD. The results showed that the nanostructures consist of tubular fragments generated during the formation of the ZrO2 membrane, with a dimension of 626.74 nm in width, a length of 1906.39 nm and a clear cubic structure. The ZrO2-PVA coating, which is prepared by using the spin coating technique, presented a uniform and homogenous particle distribution, which was later confirmed by FTIR, SEM and AFM. The optical transparency and thermal resistance were evaluated through UV-Vis and TGA, showing that the incorporation of ZrO2 as an additive improved its UV absorption properties and thermal stability during the pyrolysis stage. The results suggest that the ZrO2 nanostructures significantly improve the thermal and protective properties of the PVA-based coatings.