Microstructure and mechanical properties of zirconia and

zirconia-alumina composites prepared by laser vaporization

(LAVA) method

The influence of yttria and alumina distribution on microstructures and mechanical

properties of 2Y/TZP ceramic and 2Y/TZP-Al2O3 matrix nanocomposites reinforced with

microscale particles of biocompatible Ta metal were investigated.

In order to prepare ceramic nanoparticles by CO 2 laser vaporization (LAVA) commercial 3

mol% Y-ZrO2 (Tosoh grade TZ-3YS-E), Y2O3-free monoclinic (Tosoh grade TZ-0) and

Al2O3 (ALCOA A 16 SG, USA) powders were used as raw materials.

At first zirconia powders were mixed in a ratio resulting in an overall Y2O3 content 2 mol %

(2Y/TZP). Then zirconia-alumina ceramic powder compositions with 20 wt.% content of

alumina was obtained by addition of alumina powder to zirconia mixture. Finally the

fabrication of ceramic-metal composites from a mixture of the obtained nanopowders and

microscaled, lamellar shaped Ta particles were obtained by a wet processing route. For

comparison reason powders was also fabricated by dry mixing and wet processing route.

The obtained compositions were consolidated by spark plasma sintering

With 2 mol. % of Y2O3, the toughness of ZrO2 monolithic ceramic produced by LAVA

method was increased to 13 MPa·m1/2 and the average bend strength was 1380 MPa.

Enhanced mechanical properties were achieved for ATZ nanocomposite fabricated by

LAVA method as compared with the powder from the conventional mechanically mixed
method, the maximum flexural strength and fracture toughness of which were 1500 MPa

and 4.8 MPa·m1/2, respectively. In addition, reinforcement of 2Y/TZP-Al2O3 matrix

nanocomposite, manufactured by LAVA method, with Ta metal particles leads to the high

values of fracture toughness (16 MPa·m1/2) and strength (1300 MPa).

Thereby our results clearly reveal that the processing history of the starting powder is a

crucial factor influencing the sintered microstructure and hence the mechanical properties

of studied compositions. The simultaneous vaporization of several powders of different

compositions allows for the production of more homogeneous mixed zirconia oxide

nanoparticles or multiphase crystalline phases in one single nanoparticle namely an

intraparticular dispersion of zirconia and alumina. Thus, the LAVA method allows for the

targeted development of a wide range of ceramic nanopowders with specific tailor-made

properties