Compression-induced reversible phase transformation with a cubic-like structure in 3 mol.% yttria-stabilized zirconia

A peculiar phase transformation in modified zirconia was investigated and identified using Raman spectroscopy and in situ compression–diffraction experiments with synchrotron radiation. Neither tetragonal-to-monoclinic phase transformation nor ferroelastic domain switching was observed in specimens under uniaxial compression, but formation of an unusual stress-induced phase transformation from the previously reported non-transformable cubic and t′ phases was found. The cubic phase transforming to the t′ phase frequently takes place by applying external stress and returns to the original state as loading is released.