Preparation of yttria-stabilized zirconia nanoplatelets using vacuum roll coating

• Published in: Journal of materials science Vol. 47; no. 7; pp. 3407 - 3414
• Main Authors: Poenitzsch, Vasiliki Z., Wellinghoff, Stephen T., Furman, Benjamin R., Rubal, Michael J., Coulter, Kent E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.04.2012; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Ball milling; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Coating; Comminution; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Fracture toughness; Materials Science; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Nanostructure; Parameter modification; Particle size; Particle size distribution; Platelets; Platelets (materials); Polymer Sciences; Post-processing; Post-production processing; Roller coating; Solid Mechanics; Stoichiometry; Substrates; Thickness; Vacuum evaporation; Yttria stabilized zirconia; Yttrium oxide; Zirconium; Zirconium dioxide; Zirconium oxide; Dental Composite; Yttria Content; Inductively Couple Plasma Mass Spectroscopy; Release Layer; Embossed Pattern
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-011-6188-y

Roll-to-roll vacuum coating on moving plastic substrates and the subsequent comminuting of the film into a flake or platelet with microscale lateral and thickness dimensions is an industrially mature technology utilized to produce clean, consistent material with high throughput. In this study, we describe the novel preparation of nanoplatelets by top-down vacuum evaporation of yttria-stabilized zirconium dioxides (YSZ) on a nanoembossed, moveable substrate for the purposes of making nanoplatelets. Microscopy and particle size analysis of the resulting YSZ nanoplatelets revealed that use of the nanoembossed substrate results in significant narrowing of the particle size distribution. However, while the YSZ coatings were conformal and successfully replicated the nanopattern of the underlying substrate, the stress in the film was inadequate to fracture the film into platelets that replicated the nanometer dimensions of the underlying pattern. It was determined that this is due to the inherent fracture toughness of the nanoplatelets and the augmented adhesion forces along the increased length scale of nanoparticle contacts. The nanoplatelets were further reduced in average size and size distribution by post-processing techniques of sonication, ball milling, and centrifugation. The nanoplatelet’s stoichiometry and crystallinity were modified by manipulating the source material, deposition parameters, and post-processing steps.