High-Temperature Strength and Fracture Toughness of Y2O3-Partially-Stabilized ZrO2/Al2O3 Composites

The temperature dependence of bending strength, fracture toughness, and Young's modulus of composite materials fabricated in the ZrO₂ (Y₂O₃)-Al₂O₃ system were examined. The addition of A1203 enhanced the high-temperature strength. Isostatically hot-pressed, 60 wt% ZrO₂ (2 mol% Y₂O₃)/40 wt% Al₂O₃ exhibited an extremely high strength, 1000 MPa, at 1000°C.     

Cation Self-Diffusion in Polycrystalline Y2O3 and Er2O3

A tracer sectioning technique was used to measure cation self-diffusion coefficients in fully dense polycrystalline Y_aO₃ and Er₂O_s under oxidizing conditions. The results are described by the relations for Y₂O₃ (1400° to 1670°C), and for Er₂O₃ (1400° to 1700°C). The greater activation energy for erbium diffusion in erbia may be partly attributable to a mass effect.     

Eutectic Composition in the Pseudobinary of Y4Al2O9 and Y2O3

The eutectic composition between Y₄Al₂O₉ and Y₂O₃ was determined using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) on directionally solidified specimens with hypo- and hypereutectic compositions. The microstructures of the specimens as a function of composition differ considerably with small deviation from the eutectic composition (70.5 mol% Y₂O₃ and 29.5 mol% Al₂O₃). Based on the current results and other published data, the pseudobinary system between Al₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ is revised.     

Strength and Fracture Toughness of Isostatically Hot-Pressed Composites of Al2O3 and Y2O3-Partially-Stabilized ZrO2

Composites of Al₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ partially-stabilized ZrO₂ were isostatically hot-pressed using submicrometer powders as the starting material. The addition of Al₂O₃ resulted in a large increase in bending strength. The average bending strength for a composite containing 20 wt% Al₂O₃ was 2400 MPa, and its fracture toughness was 17 MN·w^−3/2     

Oxygen Self-Diffusion in Single-Crystal Y2O3

Self-diffusion coefficients of the oxygen ion in single-crystal Y₂O₃ were determined by the gas-solid isotope exchange technique. The results in the range 1100° to 1500°C are described by D=7.3 X 10^-6 exp [-19l(kJ/mol)/RT] cm²/s. Comparison of the results with those for oxides with the fluorite-type structure indicates that the regularly arranged vacant anion sites in the C-type structure do not contribute eflectively to oxygen ion diffusion .     

Fracture Behavior of Directionally Solidified Y3Al5O12/Al2O3 Eutectic Fiber

The strength and fracture of a directionally solidified Y₃Al₅O₁₂/Al₂O₃ eutectic fiber were investigated. The fiber was grown continuously by an edge-defined film-fed growth technique. The microstructure was characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The tensile strength and Weibull's modulus of the eutectic fibers were determined in the as-fabricated state and after extended thermal exposure at 1460°C in air. Fractographic analysis was used to identify and classify the strength-limiting mechanisms. The fracture toughness and crack growth behavior were characterized by an indentation technique. A fracture mechanics analysis was also used to establish the relationships between surface flaw size, tensile strength, and fracture toughness of the fiber.     

Stable and Metastable Equilibria in the Systems Y2O2-Al2O3, and Gd2O3-Fe2O3

The phase equilibrium relations in the systems Y₂O₃-Al₂O₃ and Gd₂O₃-Fe₂O₃ were examined. Each system has two stable binary compounds. A 3:s molar ratio garnet-type compound exists in both systems. The 1:1 distorted perovskite structure is stable in the system Gd₂O₃-Fe₂O₃ but only metastable in the system Y₂O₃-AI₂O₃. This interesting example of metastable formation and persistence of a compound with ions of high Z/r values explains the discrepancies in the literature on the structure of the composition YA1O₃. A new 2:1 molar ratio cubic phase has been found in the system Y₂O₃-A1₂O₃. Since silicon can be completely substituted for aluminum in this compound, the aluminum ions are presumably in fourfold coordination.     

Massive Transformation in the Y2O3-Bi2O3 System

Cubic solid solutions in the Y₂O₃-Bi₂O₃ system with ∼25% Y₂O₃ undergo a transformation to a rhombohedral phase when annealed at temperatures ≤ 700°C. This transformation is composition-invariant and is thermally activated, and the product phase can propagate across matrix grain boundaries, indicating that there is no special crystallo-graphic orientation relationship between the product and the parent phases. Based on these observations, it is proposed that cubic → rhombohedral phase transformation in the Y₂O₃-Bi₂O₃ system is a massive transformation. Samples of composition 25% Y₂O₃-75% Bi₂O₃ with and without aliovalent dopants were annealed at temperatures ≤ 700°C for up to 10000 h. ZrO₂ as a dopant suppressed while CaO and SrO as dopants enhanced the kinetics of phase transformation. The rate of cubic/rhombohedra1 interface migration (growth rate or interface velocity) was also similarly affected by the additions of dopants; ZrO₂ suppressed while CaO enhanced the growth rate. Diffusion studies further showed that ZrO₂ suppressed while CaO enhanced cation interdiffusion coefficient. These observations are rationalized on the premise that cation interstitials are more mobile compared to cation vacancies in cubic bismuth oxide. The maximum growth rate measured was ∼10⁻¹⁰ m/s, which is orders of magnitude smaller than typical growth rates measured in metallic alloys. This difference is explained in terms of substantially lower diffusion coefficients in these oxide systems compared to metallic alloys.     

Fracture Characteristics of Czochralski-Grown Y3Al5O12

The fracture surfaces of single-crystal Y₃A1₅O₁₂ (YAG) have been examined in detail using differential interference microscopy and atomic force microscopy. In YAG crystals grown in 1977 by the Czochralski method strikingly regular undulations of microscopic and submicroscopic dimensions (4–20 nm in amplitude, 1–20 μm in wavelength) are observed on every fracture surface. The undulations do not exhibit typical characteristics of Wallner lines; furthermore, they are not observed in identical fracture tests for YAG crystals grown in 1990 by the Czochralski method. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the crystals grown in 1977 exhibit a periodic fluctuation of the ratio of the concentrations of aluminum to yttrium, suggesting that the fracture surface features are caused by periodic astoichiometry.     

Fracture Toughness of Al2O3-Particle-Dispersed Y2O3-Partially Stabilized Zirconia

The fracture toughness of 3 mol% Y₂O₃-ZrO₂ (3Y-PSZ) composites containing 10–30 vol% Al₂O₃ with different particle sizes was investigated. It was found that Al₂O₃ dispersion of up to 30 vol% increased the fracture toughness by 17% to 30%, and the toughness increase was more remarkable in the composite dispersed with Al₂O₃ particles of larger sizes. By combining the effects of the dispersion toughening and phase transformation toughening, the toughness change in the present materials was theoretically predicted, which was in good agreement with the experimental data.     

X-ray Diffraction and Microstructural Investigation of the Al2O3-La2O3-TiO2 System

The ternary phase diagram of Al₂O₃-La₂O₃-TiO₂ at 1400°C was determined with 12 compatibility triangles. Al₂O₃ stabilizes the A-site-deficient La_2/3TiO₃ perovskite structure. According to XRD and microstructural investigations, the solid solution extends along the La_2/3TiO₃-LaAlO₃ tie line from at least 4 mol% LaAlO₃ to pure LaAlO₃. With increasing LaAlO₃ content, the stabilized La_2/3TiO₃ structure changes from orthorombic via tetragonal to cubic.     

Interfaces in Oriented Al2O3-ZrO2 (Y2O3) Eutectics

Oriented samples of Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ (Y₂O₃) eutectics consisting of an alumina matrix with zirconia dispersoids were grown by directional solidification. Preferred growth directions and epitaxial relations were determined from X-ray and electron diffraction analyses. Imaging of interfaces was performed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy on oriented platelets. Semicoherent interfaces were observed with faceting along crystallographic planes of both phases.     

Grain-Boundary Segregation and Final-Stage Sintering of Y2O3

The addition of ThO₂ to Y₂O₃ inhibits grain growth during sintering and allows the sintering process to proceed to theoretical density by maintaining a high diffusion flux of vacancies from the pores to the grain boundaries. The inhibition of grain growth is accomplished by the segregation of ThO₂ solute at the grain boundaries, causing a decrease in the grain-boundary mobility. The segregation of ThO₂ at the grain boundaries can be inferred from the results of the microhardness and grain-growth studies presented. Further evidence for segregation is provided by quenching experiments and surface activity experiments.     

Rhombohedral Phase in Y2O3-Partially-Stabilized ZrO2

Tetragonal-to-rhombohedral stress-induced phase transformation was studied by X-ray diffraction on the ground surfaces of tetragonal zirconia polycrystals and partially stabilized zirconia containing 2.0 to 5.0 mol% Y₂O₃ prepared by hot isostatic pressing. The rhombohedral phase increased with Y₂O₃ content and also with hot isostatic pressing temperature. The stability of the rhombohedral phase was studied with regard to surface finish and thermal annealing. The subsequent heat treatment of the specimens was found to cause the reverse rhombohedral-to-tetragonal transformation.