Reaction synthesis of mullite-zirconia from mixtures of alumina, silica, and 3 mol% yttria-zirconia powders

Mullite-zirconia composites were synthesized by reaction-sintering powder mixtures of α-alumina, amorphous silica, and 3 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia. It is found that the addition of 3 mol% yttria-zirconia improves sintering and lowers the mullitization temperature. It also suppresses the cristobalite formation and enhances zircon formation between 1300 and 1400 °C. Results further suggest that these effects are consequences of modification of the silicate glass by yttria. Samples containing ≥20 vol% of 3 mol% yttria-zirconia could be sintered at 1500 °C for 2 h to obtain dense composites consisting of mullite and tetragonal zirconia. The microstructural investigations of the sintered samples support the viewpoint that mullite formation is via nucleation and growth from aluminosilicate glass. They also reveal that zirconia can hinder the grain growth of mullite and that the coalescence of zirconia grains is accomplished by grain boundary diffusion.