Abstract: Amorphous, monoclinic and tetragonal zirconia with pure crystal phase were prepared from the same zirconium precursor, and then characterized by XRD,SEM,NH3-TPD,CO2-TPD and FT-IR techniques to determine and compare the different surface chemical properties of the three zirconia polymorphs. The results showed that different surface hydroxyl groups presented on the three-zirconia polymorphs. Bibridged hydroxyl only existed on tetragonal zirconia and amorphous showed obvious H-bond hydroxyl while two type of tribridged hydroxyl existed on monoclinic zirconia surface. Meanwhile the acidity-basicity properties were different on the three-zirconia polymorphs.

Key words: Zirconia, Surface hydroxyl, Acidity and basicity, FT-IR