JOINING OF ZIRCONIA-TO-ZIRCONIA USING CAO -MGO-SIO2-AL2O3 GLASSES

The strengths of zirconia-to-zirconia joints formed by glasses with di opside (Diop), and eutectic diopside and anorthite (Diop-An) compositi ons were measured by a shear strength method. The concentration distri butions of several elements in the vicinity of the joint interface wer e observed by SEM and EPMA. When the Diop glass was used as the insert material, the optimum joining temperature was around 1350 degrees C a nd the maximum joint strength was 22 MPa. When the Diop-An glass was u sed, the optimum joining temperature decreased to around 1275 degrees C and the maximum joint strength was 73 MPa. A modified layer in the i nsert material was observed in the zirconia adjacent to the joint inte rface. For the Diop-An glass, the insert layer was amorphous and no cr ack was not observed in the zirconia, the modified layer, the insert l ayer or at the joint interface.