Synthesis and Compaction Behavior of Monodispersed 3Y-ZrO2 Spherical Agglomerates

Monodispersed 3Y-ZrO2 spherical agglomerates were synthesized by thermal hydrolysis process followed by crystallization processes (hydrothermal treatment and calcination). The crystallization process affected the properties of the final particles, such as the primary particle size, the agglomeration state, and the fraction of ZrO2 monoclinic phase. The hydrothermal treated spherical particles were porous microstructures (weak agglomerates) composed of small primary particles with a size of 14 nm, but the calcined spherical particles had a dense microstructure due to the hard aggregation between primary particles. While the calcined particles had a low green density due to the hard aggregation, hydrothermal treated ones were soft agglomerates and had a deflection point at 50 MPa due to the rearrangement of secondary spherical particles and the filling of the interstices with the primary particles. Finally, the green density of hydrothermally treated ZrO2 particles was 58% at 200 MPa.