Comparison between microwave and conventional sintering on the properties and microstructural evolution of tetragonal zirconia

• Published in: Ceramics international Vol. 44; no. 8; pp. 8922 - 8927
• Main Authors: Ramesh, S., Zulkifli, N., Tan, C.Y., Wong, Y.H., Tarlochan, F., Teng, W.D., Sopyan, I., Bang, L.T., Sarhan, Ahmed A.D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2018
• Subjects: Conventional sintering; Mechanical properties; Microstructure evolution; Microwave sintering; Y-TZP; Mechanical properties; Microwave sintering; Conventional sintering; Y-TZP; Microstructure evolution
• ISSN: 0272-8842; 1873-3956
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2018.02.086

In this research, the comparison between microwave sintering and conventional sintering on the mechanical properties and microstructural evolution of 3 mol% yttria-stabilised zirconia were studied. Green bodies were compacted and sintered at various temperatures ranging from 1200 °C to 1500 °C. The results showed that microwave assisted sintering was beneficial in enhancing the densification and mechanical properties of zirconia, particularly when sintered at 1200 °C. It was revealed that as the sintering temperature was increased to 1400 °C and beyond, the grain size and mechanical properties for both microwave- and conventional-sintered ceramics were comparable thus suggesting that the sintering temperature where densification mechanism was activated, grain size was strongly influenced by the sintering temperature and not the sintering mode.