sintering temperature.

APPLICABILITY ASSESSMENT OF THE VICKERS INDENTATION FOR DETERMINING THE FRACTURE TOUGHNESS OF YTTRIA-STABILIZED ZIRCONIA

Crack growth resistance of ZrO2-(3-8) mol% Y2O3 ceramics was investigated. Young's modulus by the ultrasonic flaw detection method were determined. Vickers hardness and parameters of cracks after Vickers indentation were obtained. Based on the Young's modulus values, Vickers hardness, and parameters of cracks, the fracture toughness of the investigated ceramics was calculated using 9 different equations of the Vickers indentation method.

Effects of the yttria content and sintering temperature on the phase evolution in yttria-stabilized zirconia

The microstructure of YSZ ceramics stabilized by the various amount of yttria, namely 3 mol% Y 2 O 3  (3YSZ), 4 mol% Y 2 O 3  (4YSZ) and 5 mol% Y 2 O 3  (5YSZ) has been studied. Three sintering temperatures, namely 1450 °C, 1500 °C and 1550 °C were used for each series of samples (3YSZ, 4YSZ, 5YSZ). The total area of the monoclinic and cubic zirconia phases in the microstructure of ceramics and the regularities of distribution of these phases were determined by ImageJ.