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Microstructure and mechanical properties of dense ZTA ceramics with high Cr2O3 solution

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Abstract

Zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) ceramics are commonly used in various industries. Adding suitable additives is an effective way to improve the performance of ZTA ceramics. However, the common reinforcement in ZTA, chromia (Cr2O3), tends to volatilize at high temperature in the presence of oxygen, limiting ceramic densification. Consequently, additional amounts of Cr2O3 are typically limited to below 1 wt%. In this study, spark plasma sintering was utilized to inhibit the volatilization of Cr2O3. Dense ZTA ceramics with high Cr2O3 content (from 1 to 10 wt%) were prepared at 1350 °C. The impact of the solid solution on the structure and properties of the ceramics was investigated. The findings demonstrate that the high Cr2O3 solution can regulate the grain size in the matrix, leading to an enhancement in both hardness and fracture toughness. The optimum performance of the sample was obtained with a 5 wt% dosage of Cr2O3, where the maximum values of Vickers hardness and fracture toughness were 20.66 GPa and 6.37 MPa m1/2, respectively.

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All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the submitted article.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province (2021B0707050001); Chaozhou City, the second batch of special plans for science and technology (202202ZD01); Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research (2021B0301030001); National Key R&D Program of China (2021YFB3802300); Chaozhou Science and Technology Project (2019PT01), Self-innovation Research Funding Project of Hanjiang Laboratory (HJL202012A001, HJL202012A002, HJL202012A003).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chaozhou Branch of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Chaozhou, 521000, China

    Junguo Li, Xinyu Zhong, Guoqiang Luo, Qiwang Cai, Rong Tu, Xiaoping Guo & Renchi Ding

  2. State Key Lab of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Xinyu Zhong, Guoqiang Luo, Qiwang Cai, Qiang Shen & Rong Tu

  3. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Junguo Li

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Li, J., Zhong, X., Luo, G. et al. Microstructure and mechanical properties of dense ZTA ceramics with high Cr2O3 solution. J Mater Sci 58, 7868–7879 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-023-08464-w

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