Process and Properties of Fine-grained (Y/Ce, M)-PSZ/MgAl_2O_4Ceramics

Compared to fine-grained PSZ ceramics prepared by coprecipitation, the costabilized (Y,Mg)-PSZ and (Ce, Mg)-PSZ wigh MgA12O4 spinel additions were developed, in which industrialzirconia was used as the main starting material. Powders were prepared by mechanical millingmixing process. During mixing process, distilled water was patially used as ball-milling mediuminstead of ethanol. Feasibility for milling-miaing in distilled water was studied. The experimelltaJresults showed that fine-grained PSZ ceramics sintered at low solid solution temperature (S1550C)could be aChieved by mechanical mixing process, as well as coprecipitation. These materials hadgood mechanical properties: the fie-cural strength and fracture toughness at room temperaturewere about 700MPa and 15MPa.m1/2, respectively. After hydrothermaJ treatment (180C, IMPa,in distilled water) up to 20h, (Ce, Mg)-PSZ materials exhibited much better thermal stability than(Y, Mg)-PSZ ceramics.