Amorphous 12CeO(2)-88ZrO(2) (mol.-%) gels were heated in liquid media such as water, methanol, and n-kexane above 200 degrees C. As initially prepared, the gels were amorphous, but after 5 h heating in methanol at 250 degrees C, tetragonal zirconia was identified by X-ray analysis. An amorphous gel examined by differential thermal analysis on calcination in ail showed crystallisation to the tetragonal form at 420 degrees C. The crystallisation behaviour in liquid media could be adequately described by the surface chemical reaction controlled shrinking core model. Crystallisation in water was much faster than in methanol and n-hexane, but the sinterability of powder. prepared in water was pool er than of that prepared in organic solvents. The addition ofrequisite amounts of water to organic solvents was found useful in promoting crystallisation of gel without loss of powder sinterability. (C) 1996 The Institute of Materials.