Microstructural characterization and phase transitions in polycrystalline and nanocrystalline doped zirconia for incorporation in medical prosthesis

Zirconium oxide doped with rare earth elements (Y, Ce, etc.) is an important candidate material for incorporation in medical implants and prosthetics. Due to their mechanical properties, the doped compounds hold a unique place among the oxide ceramics since they can undergo phase transformations allowing a toughening mechanism. We aim to determine the influence of different types of thermal treatments for Zr_1-xCe_xO₂ (x=0.1; 0.15; 0.20) as well as the structural and mechanical properties of these materials using X-ray and Neutron Diffraction (ND) as well as high resolution of SEM imaging combined with Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD). Our analyses have shown that, following the doping mechanism, the samples exhibit stable crystallographic structures but also improved material strengths, which can make these compounds suitable for a wide range of promising clinical applications.