Tetragonal structure of zirconium oxide (ZrO2) nanoparticles has been successfully synthesized by a simple hydrothermal process. The structural, morphological and optical properties of ZrO2 nanoparticles are investigated using by the X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy analysis.