Effect of Short Time Sintering on the Mechanical Properties of Undoped Zirconia Ceramics

Sintering parameters are undoubtedly among the many factors that influence the mechanical properties and hydrothermal ageing resistance of tetragonal zirconia ceramics. In this research, the effect of using short holding times i.e. (1 min., 30 min. and 1 hour) as compared to the conventional 2 hours during sintering of 3 mol% Yttria Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystals (3Y-TZP) on the mechanical properties were systematically investigated. The research revealed that holding time of 1 minute and sintered at 1400oC yielded a high relative density (above 95% of theoretical density) and high Young’s modulus (above 180 GPa) without compromising on tetragonal phase stability and mechanical properties. The study also revealed that the bulk density is an important parameter governing the matrix stiffness of 3Y-TZPs and that grain size strongly influences the transformability and consequently, the toughness of 3Y-TZPs. The toughness of the ceramic was observed to increase steeply when grains exceeded 0.52 µm, which has been identified as the critical grain size for toughening.

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