Comparing the influence of different kinds of zirconia on properties and microstructure of Al2O3 ceramics

Abstract

This paper compared the influence of fused zirconia-corundum (AZ40), monoclinic zirconia (m-ZrO2), and 3 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (3Y-ZrO2) on physical properties at room temperature, hot modulus of rupture, and thermal shock resistance of Al2O3 ceramics, and their relationships with microstructure changes were investigated. It was found that m-ZrO2 or 3Y-ZrO2 addition promoted the process of sintering densification and enhanced the room temperature strength and the hot modulus of rupture of Al2O3 ceramics, and the effect of the latter was more distinct, while those of the sample with AZ40 addition decreased. In addition, the three kinds of ZrO2 were beneficial to improving the thermal shock resistance of Al2O3 ceramics. All these changes had close relationships with the changes of corresponding microstructure characteristics (including distribution of particles, degree of contact between crystals, grain boundary solid solution, microcrack density) and phase composition.

Keywords

• al2o3 ceramics
• hot modulus of rupture
• microstructure
• phase composition
• thermal shock resistance
• zro2