A layered, zircon-molybdenurn functionally graded material was obtained by
starting from commercial powders of molybdenum (median particle size (d(50)
) of similar to 3 mu m) and zircon (d(50) approximate to 0.8 mu m). Convent
ional processing led to a material that was free of internal residual stres
s. The sintering behavior of green compacts with compositions that correspo
nded to the different layers was studied via dynamic sintering. The thermal
expansion coefficients of each layer were measured using conventional dila
tometry, The presence of residual stresses was determined using Vickers ind
entations, Both thermal expansion mismatch and differential shrinkage betwe
en the layers were negligible.