Zirconium carbide (ZrC) was synthesized by solution-based processing using versatile starting reagents including zirconium oxychloride octahydrate (ZrOCl2 center dot 8H(2)O, ZOC), acetylacetone (Hacac), and phenolic resin. Polyzirconoxane (PZO), obtained by chelation of Hacac to zirconium, was used to combine with phenolic resin to form a precursor for ZrC. It generated ZrC at a relatively low temperature (1550 degrees C) and in a low C/Zr molar ratio of 2 assuming that phenolic resin was the only carbon source. As a comparison, synthesis of ZrC only using ZOC and phenolic resin was also conducted. Besides, the pyrolysis of PZO was carried out and the transformation mechanism during the pyrolysis was studied, during which ZrC was obtained at 1550 degrees C in flowing argon. The conversions from as-synthesized preceramic precursors to ceramics were studied by means of FTIR, DSC-TG, SEM, EDS, and XRD.