Aerosol-assisted CVD method for the synthesis of solid particles of t-YSZ-Fe₃O₄

This work details the production of solid composite particles by the aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition method. With this method it is feasible to produce at low temperature (450 °C) the tetragonal phase of zirconium oxide stabilizing it with yttrium oxide (YSZ) and cubic iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) at the same time. The particles have a solid morphology in which both metal oxides coexist without mixing. The average size of the obtained particles is 329 ± 81 nm, moreover, each particle is formed by thousands of crystallites of size 2 ± 0.5 nm. The formation of solid structures is due to the amount of Zr and Y found in each particle. These particles can be applied as reinforcements of metallic structures. •A simple and low-cost method for producing composite particles to be applied as reinforcing agents for metal structures.•The particles are formed by two phases of tetragonal yttria-stabilized zirconia (t-YSZ) and cubic Fe₃O₄, which was synthesized following a one-step process via the aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition method (AACVD).•The tetragonal phase of ZrO₂ is obtained at 450 °C stabilizing it with ∼3.8% of yttrium oxide.