MICROSTRUCTURAL DESIGN AND MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF A TERNARY PARTIALLY-STABILIZED ZIRCONIA ALLOY

The transformation toughening mechanism in zirconia-toughened ceramics is temperature limited. An attempt has been made to design a ternary partially stabilised zirconia alloy, based on CeO2-MgO-ZrO2, in which the transformation toughening component cf the measured mechanical pro perties is retained at low to intermediate temperatures, while other m echanisms for improving strength and toughness are invoked and become dominant at high temperatures. Mechanical property results indicate th at the microstructures developed, which contain elongated, dispersed t etragonal zirconia particles, may produce useful toughening enhancemen t. However, the material fabrication route used requires refinement. ( C) 1997 Elsevier Science Limited and Techna S.r.l.