Nanostructured composite ceramic materials in the ZrO2-Al2O3 system

The composite ceramic materials based alumina and zirconia in the monoclinic form (10 wt %) or the tetragonal form stabilized by yttrium (7-45 wt %) are produced from metastable nanopowders through magnetic pulsed compaction followed by free sintering. The specific features revealed in the shrinkage are investigated at temperatures in the range 1400-1500 degrees C. The development of the microstructure and polymorphic transformations are analyzed using X-ray diffraction and atomic-force microscopy. The fracture toughness and the microhardness of the samples are determined by the indentation technique.