Using zirconium oxychloride as raw material, urea as a mineralizer, yttrium oxide as a stabilizer, and water and ethanol as the reaction solvent, combined with a one-step hydrothermal method, the formation mechanism of spherical tetragonal zirconia was investigated by changing the hydrothermal temperature, hydrothermal time, alcohol-water ratio and the amount of yttrium oxide without adding surfactants or calcination. Tetragonal zirconia powders with good crystallinity, uniform particle size distribution, and high sphericity were prepared.

The wet chemical method is an important technical synthesis that allows the attainment of advanced ceramic powder with controlled size (from micron to nanometer scale) and shape (such as powder, fibers, films, and monoliths), and with high reactivity and purity. Recent research status of several commonly used wet chemical methods such as co-precipitation, sol-gel, solvothermal, spray pyrolysis, spray drying, and flame spray pyrolysis is expounded. The problems that need to be solved urgently and future development trend of wet chemical method are also summarized.