Title: Approach for sintering nano-sized yttria-stabilised zirconia

Authors: M. Hasanuzzaman, A. Rafferty, A.G. Olabi, T. Prescott

Addresses: School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin9, Ireland. ' School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin9, Ireland. ' School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin9, Ireland. ' School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin9, Ireland

Abstract: Commercially available nano-sized ZrO₂-3mol%Y₂O₃ (TZ-3Y-EB.) was investigated. Particle size of powder was found to be 1.29 µm, suggesting that the particles agglomerate in water. BET analysis yielded a specific surface area of 14.52 m²/g. The powder had a true density of 5.98 g/cm³ when analysed using helium gas pycnometry. DTA/TGA analysis indicated that binder burnout occurred on heating in the range 300-400°C. An expansion associated with the tetragonal to monoclinic transformation on cooling from 1400°C was observed by dilatometry for unstabilised zirconia but not for TZ-3Y-EB. The density of discs which were sintered across the temperature range 1350°C to 1500°C varied between 6.02 g/cm³ and 6.05 g/cm³, corresponding to 99.12% and 99.49% of theoretical density. Dilatometry showed that a maximum shrinkage rate occurred at 1285°C. X-ray diffraction data revealed that the starting TZ-3Y-EB powder contained some monoclinic zirconia, but that discs sintered from this powder were wholly tetragonal after sintering.

Keywords: nanopowders; characterisation; yttria-stabilised zirconia; sintering; density; nanomaterials; mnanomanufacturing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2007.014572

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2007 Vol.1 No.4, pp.524 - 536

Published online: 16 Jul 2007 *

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