The Formation of ZrO₂–Ti Composites by Spark Plasma Sintering

Abstract

The preliminary analysis of the ZrO₂–Ti composite is conducted. The samples are prepared from the nanosized ZrO₂ powder stabilized with 3 mol.% Y₂O₃ and 10 vol.% Ti powder with particles ~15 µm in size. The samples are formed by spark plasma sintering. The spark plasma sintering parameters are: temperature 1350 ºC, pressure 20 MPa, and duration 10 min. All process is carried out in argon. The density of the sintered ZrO₂–Ti composites is determined by the Archimedes method. The microstructural characterization is carried out using X-ray diffraction and a scanning electron microscope. Additionally, the hardness and fracture toughness are measured. The obtained composite samples have a density of ~98–99% of the theoretical value. The homogenous distribution of titanium in zirconia matrix is SEM-confirmed. Moreover, the existence of a new phase in the Ti–Zr–O system is revealed by the X-ray diffraction analysis.