Sol-gel synthesis and thermal evaluation of cordierite-zirconia composites (Ce-ZrO2, Y-Ce-ZrO2)

Cordierite and cordierite-zirconia composites (ceria- and yttria-ceria-stabilized zirconia) were prepared by sol-gel processing for different compositions. The precursor powders of these composites were studied using analytical techniques such as thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy for different temperatures to investigate the crystallization behavior of the material. It was observed that the cordierite-zirconia composite powders are crystallized as alpha-cordierite and tetragonal zirconia when sintered at a temperature above 1200 degrees C in the presence of zircon in the cordierite matrix. Powder morphologies of cordierite-zirconia composites have also been investigated.