ZIRCONIA-STAINLESS STEEL FUNCTIONALLY GRADED MATERIAL BY TAPE CASTING

Ceramic/metal functionally graded material (FGM) was fabricated by tap e casting. Zirconia (ZrO2) and stainless steel (SUS) were stably dispe rsed in deionized water (DI-water). An optimal dispersion condition of ZrO2 was obtained from electrokinetic sonic amplitude (ESA) data, and ZrO2 particles could be dispersed by electrostatic repulsion. Convers ely, a stable SUS slurry was prepared by increasing solution viscosity and using steric hindrance. Monophase and binary slurries were cast a t uniform thickness through a doctor blade. ZrO2/SUS FGM was sintering at 1350 degrees C in Ar/H-2 atmosphere. The sintering defects could b e controlled by the adjustment of the particle size and phase-type of ZrO2. As a consequence, the microstructure and interface shelved a com positional gr adient continuously. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.