Stress-induced cubic-tetragonal transformation in partially stabilized ZrO2:: Raman spectroscopy study

Regularities of the cubic-tetragonal transformation (C-->t') in partially stabilized zirconia were studied with Raman spectroscopy and high-temperature Raman spectroscopy techniques. New 'low temperature' mechanism of tetragonal nanoparticles formation in a volume of cubic solid solution was revealed in ZrO2-Gd2O3 (Eu2O3) (6-8 mol%) single crystals. This mechanism includes nucleation of the tetragonal nanoparticles due to diffusionless C --> t' phase transformation at the first stage and gradual decrease of the stabilizer concentration inside t'-domains after subsequent low-temperature annealing. Predominant orientation of tetragonal domains due to the stress-induced C transformation was registered in ZrO2-Gd2O3 (8 mol%) single crystals. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.