Preparation and Characterization of Ceria Stabilized Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystals(I) : Effect of CeO2 Contents on the Mechanical Properties of Ce-TZP
The usual ceramic process of mixing and milling in state of oxides ZrO2 and CeO2 was adopted in this study in a wet process to manufacture Ce-TZP. CeO2-ZrO2 ceramics containing 8~20 mol% CeO2 were made by heat treatment at 1250~1500˚C for 5hr. The maximum dispersion point of every slurry manufactured with a mixture of ZrO2 and CeO2 was neat at pH10. A stable slurry with average particle size of 90 nm can be manufactured when it is dispersed with the use of ammonia water and polycarboxylic acid ammonium. The sintered Ce-TZP ceramics manufactured with the addition of CeO2 in a concentration of less than 10 mol% progressed to the fracture of the specimen due to the existence of a monoclinic phase of more than 30% at room temperature. More than 99% of the tetragonal phase was created for the sintered body with the addition of CeO2 beyond 18 mol%, but the degradation of the mechanical properties on the entire specimen was brought about due to the CeO2 existing in a percentage above 3%. Consequently, the optimal Ce-TZP level combined in the oxide state was identified to be 16 mol% of CeO2 contents.