I-Zirconia, eyaziwa nangokuthi i-zirconium dioxide, ivame ukucutshungulwa kusetshenziswa indlela ebizwa ngokuthi “umzila wokucubungula impuphu.” Lokhu kuhilela izinyathelo ezimbalwa, ezihlanganisa:

1. Ukubala: Ukushisa izinhlanganisela ze-zirconium emazingeni okushisa aphezulu ukuze kwakhiwe i-zirconium oxide powder.

2. Ukugaya: Gaya i-zirconia ebaliwe ukuze ufinyelele usayizi wezinhlayiyana oyifunayo nokusabalalisa.

3. Ukubunjwa: Impushana ye-zirconia ephansi ibe isilolongwa ibe yisimo esifunwayo, njengama-pellets, amabhlogo noma amajamo angokwezifiso, kusetshenziswa amasu anjengokucindezela noma ukulingisa.

4. I-Sintering: I-zirconia emise okwezimo ifakwa emanzini okushisa aphezulu ukuze kuzuzwe isakhiwo sekristalu esiminyene sokugcina.

5. Ukuqeda: I-zirconia ehlanganisiwe ingase ibhekane nezinyathelo ezengeziwe zokucubungula ezifana nokugaya, ukupholishwa kanye nomshini ukuze kuzuzwe ukuphela kwendawo oyithandayo kanye nokunemba kobukhulu.

Le nqubo inika imikhiqizo ye-zirconia amandla aphezulu, ubulukhuni nokumelana nokugqoka, okwenza ifaneleke ezinhlobonhlobo zezicelo ezimbonini ezifana ne-aerospace, medical and engineering.

I-Zircon iyiminerali ye-zirconium silicate evame ukucutshungulwa kusetshenziswa inhlanganisela yokuchoboza, ukugaya, ukuhlukanisa kazibuthe kanye namasu okuhlukanisa amandla adonsela phansi. Ngemva kokukhishwa ku-ore, i-zircon icutshungulwa ukuze isuse ukungcola futhi ihlukanise namanye amaminerali. Lokhu kuhilela ukuchoboza insimbi ibe usayizi omuhle bese uyigaya ukuze unciphise usayizi wezinhlayiyana. Ukuhlukaniswa kwamagnetic bese kusetshenziselwa ukususa amaminerali kazibuthe, futhi ubuchwepheshe bokuhlukanisa amandla adonsela phansi busetshenziselwa ukuhlukanisa i-zircon kwamanye amaminerali asindayo. I-zircon concentrate ewumphumela ingathuthukiswa futhi icutshungulwe ukuze isetshenziswe ezinhlobonhlobo zezinhlelo zokusebenza zezimboni.

Izinto ezisetshenziswayo zokukhiqiza i-zirconium ngokuvamile zihlanganisa isihlabathi se-zircon (i-zirconium silicate) ne-baddeleyite (zirconia). Isihlabathi se-Zircon siwumthombo oyinhloko we-zirconium futhi simbiwa emigodini yesihlabathi samaminerali. I-Baddeleyite iwuhlobo olungokwemvelo lwe-zirconium oxide futhi ingenye umthombo we-zirconium. Lezi zinto zokusetshenziswa zicutshungulwa ukuze kukhishwe i-zirconium, ebese isetshenziswa ezinhlobonhlobo zezimboni, okubandakanya ukukhiqizwa kwensimbi ye-zirconium, i-zirconium oxide (zirconia) nezinye izinhlanganisela ze-zirconium.