Synthesis of ZrO₂ nanorods and their application as membrane materials

Zirconia (ZrO₂) materials are widely used in a variety of energy systems and devices. When nanorod-shaped ZrO₂ is used as energy materials, ionic conductivity and mechanical strength can be improved compared to the characteristics of conventional spherical-shaped nanomaterials. In this study, we synthesized ZrO₂ nanorods and investigated the shape change of them depending on various synthesis conditions such as precursor concentration, synthesis temperature, synthesis period, and aging period. The obtained nanorods were casted into a membrane for alkaline water electrolysis system and subjected to basic performance evaluation for use as a separator. The structure and the shape of the nanorods were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the like.