Zirconium Nitrate: Zirconium Hydroxide Dissolved in Nitric Acid and Evaporated (Roscoe 1913)

Zirconium hydroxide dissolves in nitric acid; evaporated gently, the solution leaves zirconium nitrate as a yellow gummy mass. Evaporated in vacuo over caustic soda and phosphorus pentoxide it gives very hygroscopic crystals instead. Result: zirconium nitrate, which ignites to pure zirconia. Source: Roscoe and Schorlemmer, A Treatise on Chemistry vol. 2 (1913), p. 828. Not given: amounts and acid strength. Picture drawn by Youblob.