Preparation of Al_2O_3/3Y-TZP Ceramics by Microwave Sintering and Conventional Sintering

Nanometer Al2O3/3Y-TZP powders were prepared by coprecipitation process and the Al2O3/3YTZP ceramics were prepared by microwave sintering and conventional sintering after the powders being suppressed.The influence of two kinds of sintering way on relative density,bending strength,fracture toughness and fracture morphology of the Al2O3/3Y-TZP ceramic were studied.The results show that the Al2O3/3Y-TZP powders exhibite fine and homogeneous near-spherical particles with the size of 40-60nm.With the increasing of sintering temperatures,all of the relative density,bending strength and fracture toughness of the ceramic samples increase firstly,then decrease.Compared to conventional sintering,the sintering temperature of microwave sintering reduces obviously,the sintering time shortens significantly,the grain of the Al2O3/3Y-TZP ceramic refines,and the relative density,bending strength,fracture toughness of Al2O3/3Y-TZP ceramic increase significantly.