Synthesis, microstructure and mechanical properties of ceria stabilized tetragonal zirconia prepared by spray drying technique

• Published in: Bulletin of materials science Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 15 - 20
• Main Authors: Sharma, S. C., Gokhale, N. M., Dayal, Rajiv, Lal, Ramji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bangalore Springer Nature B.V 01.02.2002
• Subjects: Ceramics; Ceria-stabilized zirconia; Cerium oxide; Cerium oxides; Concentration (composition); Crystallites; Flexural strength; Fracture toughness; Mechanical properties; Microhardness; Microstructure; Modulus of rupture in bending; Particle size distribution; Phase composition; Sintering; Sintering (powder metallurgy); Spray drying; Synthesis; Tetragonal zirconia; Zirconium dioxide
• ISSN: 0250-4707; 0973-7669
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02704588

Ceria stabilized zirconia powders with ceria concentration varying from 6 to 16 mol% were synthesized using spray drying technique. Powders were characterized for their particle size distribution and specific surface area. The dense sintered ceramics fabricated using these powders were characterized for their microstructure, crystallite size and phase composition. The flexural strength, fracture toughness and microhardness of sintered ceramics were measured. High fracture toughness and flexural strength were obtained for sintered bodies with 12 mol% of CeO2. Flexural strength and fracture toughness were dependent on CeO2 concentration, crystallite size and phase composition of sintered bodies. Correlation of data has indicated that the transformable tetragonal phase is the key factor in controlling the fracture toughness and strength of ceramics. It has been demonstrated that the synthesis method is effective to prepare nanocrystalline tetragonal ceria stabilized zirconia powders with improved mechanical properties. Ce-ZrO2 with 20 wt% alumina was also prepared with flexural strength, 1200 MPa and fracture toughness, 9.2 MPa√m.