Obtaining ZrO2–3 mol % Y2O3 Ceramics with Various Degrees of Tetragonality and Studying Low Temperature Degradation

Nanocrystalline ceramic samples of the ZrO2–3 mol % Y2O3 composition with varying degrees of tetragonality c/a (1.4337 and 1.0425) are obtained. The process of the low-temperature degradation of ceramics is studied by the methods of X-ray phase analysis and electron microscopy. It is found that samples with a high degree of tetragonality are more resistant to the action of a humid environment, while the phase composition in the bulk of the samples remains practically unchanged and the transformation t-ZrO2 → m-ZrO2 occurs mainly in the surface layers without significantly affecting the mechanical properties of the ceramics.