Influence of CeO2 addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) composite prepared by spark plasma sintering

Abstract In this study, zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) samples with different amounts of CeO2 were prepared by the spark plasma sintering method. The phase composition and microstructure of the samples were examined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The addition of CeO2 results in grain refinement and density increase; moreover, CeO2 stabilises the high-temperature metastable phase. As the amount of CeO2 reaches 7 wt%, a new CeAl11O18 phase appears. The Vickers hardness, modulus, and fracture toughness of the samples depend to a large extent on the grain size, relative density, and existence of the second phase. Among the composites, that with 5 wt% CeO2 shows the best performance with the highest values of relative density, Vickers hardness, and fracture toughness: 96.51%, 1688 HV, and 9.91 MPa.√m, respectively.