ZIA identifies principal areas of research relating to zircon, zirconium and zirconia

March 2020

The Zircon Industry Association annually identifies the most popular areas of research relating to zircon and its downstream derivatives.

Following a review of over 3,450 peer-reviewed papers published in 2018, it has been possible to identify these areas of research and make an informed assumption as to the likely potential for industrial application.

Specialists at Centro Ceramico, Bologna (Italy) carried out the literature search and categorised the papers into subject areas. Areas with more than 30 publications were considered to have a high potential market demand, indicating that the interest of the scientific community is high and, therefore, the topic might merit exploitation at industrial level.

The most popular fields of zircon-related research were as follows:

1. Advanced ceramics
2. Biomedical applications
3. Nanomaterials, nanorods, nanostructures and nanofabrication
4. Advanced coating and functional materials
5. Fuel cells
6. Catalysis

More detail on the results of the literature review, including graphic representations of the information, is available in the Publications Review section.

The three ZIA literature reviews conducted between 2016 and 2018 now offer an opportunity to identify potential research trends. During this three year period, the areas of advanced ceramics and biomedical research have increased based on the number of peer-reviewed publications.

ZIA Executive Director, Dr Keven Harlow, commented:

“Zircon and its derivatives play an essential role in today’s modern world in a vast array of applications from industrial uses to everyday products. This annual review of literature gives an insight into the potential for zircon and its derivatives to play an even greater role in future across a number of sectors.”

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Notes to editors

1. Copies of the ZIA literature reviews are available to members.
2. The Zircon Industry Association (ZIA) is an independent industry association. Its mission is to represent and support the interests of the zircon, zirconia and zirconium value chains, from zircon sand production, to a wide range of downstream products including zircon flour, opacifiers, refractory materials, friction materials, fused zirconia and zirconium chemicals, metal and alloys. Its members currently represent some 80% of the globally-produced zircon tonnage.
3. ZIA operates a strict Code of Conduct and Antitrust Policy.

For further information, please contact:
Claire Caton / media@zircon-association.org