Fabrication and plasma resistance of Y2O3 ceramics

Abstract Y 2 O 3 granular powder was fabricated using a spray drying process from slurry prepared by mixing PVA binder, NaOH for pH control, PEG and milled Y 2 O 3 powder. The Y 2 O 3 specimen was sized to ∅ 14 mm and then sintered at 1650 °C. The decrease in particle size due to the milling process with attrition mill and granulation of milled powder promoted the densification of the Y 2 O 3 specimen without cracks. The characteristics, microstructure, density and plasma resistance of the Y 2 O 3 specimen were investigated as functions of the forming pressure and sintering time. The plasma resistance and the edge depth of the Y 2 O 3 specimens were compared with those of Al 2 O 3 and SiC specimens using a laser microscope. After a plasma etching test, the Al 2 O 3 specimen showed a very high edge depth value and a severely etched morphology in laser microscope images. Upon increasing the sintering time, the Y 2 O 3 specimens showed relatively high density and strong resistance compared with those of the Al 2 O 3 and SiC specimens in the plasma etching test.