Microwave Sintering of Zirconia Materials: Mechanical and Microstructural Properties

Commercially, 3 mol% Y₂O₃‐stabilized tetragonal zirconia (70–90 nm) compacts were fabricated using a conventional and a nonconventional sintering technique; microwave heating in a resonant mono‐mode cavity at 2.45 GHz, at temperatures in the 1100–1400°C range. A considerable difference in the densification behavior between conventional (CS) and microwave (MW) sintered materials was observed. The MW materials attain a full density of 99.9% of the theoretical density (t.d.) at 1400°C/10 min, whereas the CS reach only 98.0% t.d. at the same temperature and 1 h of dwelling time. Therefore, the MW materials exhibit superior Vickers hardness values (16.0 GPa) when compared with CS (13.4 GPa).     

Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of Hydroxyapatite–Zirconia Composites

This work focuses on the improvement of the mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite (HA) through the addition of 3 mol% yttria partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ). Enamel-derived HA (EHA) from freshly extracted human teeth and commercial HA (CHA) were chosen as the matrix. The effects of addition up to 10 wt% of PSZ and of sintering temperature (1000°–1300°C) on the density, microhardness, and compression strength were evaluated. For EHA–PSZ composites, the density and mechanical properties were generally enhanced by adding 5 wt% PSZ, especially after sintering at 1200°C, whereas CHA–PSZ composites showed lower strength values at sintering temperatures of 1200° and 1300°C with respect to EHA–PSZ composites. This may be due to the lower stability of CHA–PSZ composites with higher amounts of calcium zirconate formed over 1100°C when compared with EHA–PSZ composites.     

原位聚合PLA/HA复合材料的性能研究

采用原位聚合法和超声波辅助分散溶液共混法,分别制备了羟基磷灰石质量分数为30％的聚乳酸（PLA）／羟基磷灰石（HA）生物可降解复合材料,对其结构与力学性能进行了研究。结果表明,HA的存在对乳酸的聚合有一定的影响,使其摩尔质量降低、分布变宽。与共混法相比,原位聚合法改善了HA在复合材料中的分散性,在PLA与HA之间形成了较强的结合界面,从而提高了PLA玻璃化温度和力学性能。     

Hot Isostatic Press Sintering and Properties of Silicon Nitride without Additives

Fully densified silicon nitride without additives was fabricated by means of hot isostatic pressing. The sintering process of highly pure powder was investigated with special interest in the evolution of α–β phase transformation, densification, and microstructure development. It was observed that the transformation occurred without a liquid phase below 1730°C, which corresponds to the melting point of SiO₂. Above 1730°C, the densification and β-grain elongation accelerated concurrently because of the appearance of liquid SiO₂. However, full densification was attained at 1950°C together with marked grain growth. Flexural strength, microhardness, fracture toughness, and Young's modulus of sintered bodies were measured as a function of temperature. In the sintered body started from highly pure powder, excellent MOR behavior was found up to 1400°C. Impurity content of a few hundred ppm was found to be sufficient to make densification easy and to degrade high-temperature strength.     

Processing and Mechanical Properties of Dense Si3N4-SiC-Whisker Composites without Sintering Aids

Si₃N₄ with 20 vol% SiC whisker was fabricated without sintering aids by hot isostatic pressing. Density higher than 99.5% was attained after sintering at 2000°C and 170 MPa for 1 h. Careful mixing procedures and the use of an appropriate amount of a dispersant was found to be effective in avoiding whisker segregation and inhomogeneity. Mechanical properties of the composite were investigated by measurements of flexural strength, microhardness, frature toughness, and Young's modulus as a function of temperature. At room temerature, Vickers microhardness and Young's modulus increased from the matrix value about 20% and 5%, respectively. Toughness was about 30% higher, without reduction in flexural strength, up to 1400Deg;C.     

添加剂对高铝瓷烧结性质和力学性能的影响

研究滑石、TiO2添加剂对以CaO-Al2O3-SiO2系为基础的高铝瓷的烧结特性和力学性能的影响。研究发现：在高铝瓷中添加剂的作用机理不同于它们在纯氧化铝烧结中的,添加剂的作用大小取决于它们的表面张力。烧结中的粗大气孔、裂纹、粗大晶粒、玻璃相等形成了瓷体的断裂源,降低了强度。     

Viscous Sintering and Mechanical Properties of 3Y-TZP-Reinforced LAS Glass-Ceramic Composites

The densification of lithium aluminosilicate glass-ceramic composites strongly depended on dispersed 3-mol%-Y₂O₃-tetragonal-ZrO₂-polycrystal (3Y-TZP) content, rather than the crystallization of a parent glass phase. Because of the reaction between 3Y-TZP and the glass phase, tetragonal-ZrO₂ transformed to monoclinic-ZrO₂ with twinned structure because of the dissolution of Y₂O₃, and ZrSiO₄ formed. Composites containing >50 wt% 3Y-TZP were characterized by fully densified microstructures and decreased tetragonal-to-monoclinic transformation. Fracture toughness increased by almost a factor of 3, which was attributed mainly to stress-induced phase transformation of tetragonal-ZrO₂ particles.     

Pressureless Sintering and Mechanical and Biological Properties of Fluor-hydroxyapatite Composites with Zirconia

Fluor-hydroxyapatite (FHA) fabricated by a reaction between fluorapatite (FA) and hydroxyapatite (HA) was mixed with ZrO₂ to produce FHA–ZrO₂ composites. When the relative amount of FA to HA increased, the decomposition of the composite was decreased gradually because of the formation of thermally stable FHA solid solutions. With such suppression of decomposition, the FHA–ZrO₂ composites retained fully densified bodies. As a result, significant enhancements in mechanical properties, such as hardness, flexural strength, and fracture toughness, were achieved as the relative amount of FA to HA increased. The highest values in strength and toughness were 220 MPa and 2.5 MPa·m^1/2, respectively, with FHA–40 vol% ZrO₂ composites. In vitro proliferation of osteoblast-like cells (MG63) on the composites showed behavior similar to that observed on pure HA and FHA. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of the growing cells (HOS) on the composites was slightly down-regulated compared with that on pure HA and FHA at prolonged periods.     

Evolution of Average Microstructural Properties in the Final Stage Sintering of Alumina

Models of simultaneous coarsening and densification in final stage sintering commonly assume that the coarsening process results in microstructures that evolve self-similarly from a fixed microstructural geometry, differing only in scale. This assumption is experimentally tested for alumina in the solid volume fraction range of 0.97–1 using nondimensional microstructural parameters. The results clearly show that such models based on assumed geometries often underestimate the pore size relative to the grain size. The largest differences between the model and the experiments occur for lower firing temperatures and higher doping levels. It is concluded that the coarsening reflected in the effect of temperature and dopant level is not a self-similar process from a common microstructural geometry.     

Sintering and Mechanical Properties of Yttria-Doped Tetragonal ZrO2 Polycrystal/Mullite Composites

Yttria-doped tetragonal ZrO₂ polycrystal (Y-TZP)lmullite composites were sintered at 1450° to 1500°C in air to disperse rodlike mullite grains at the grain boundary of Y-TZP and the mechanical and thermal properties were investigated. The aspect ratios of mullite grain were >2. High fracture strength of 1000 MPa and fracture toughness of 12 MPa·m^1/2 were obtained by dispersing <20 vol% of mullite into Y-TZP. The thermal expansion coefficient of Y-TZP/mullite composites decreased with increasing mullite content. The thermal shock resistance of Y-TZP was greatly improved by dispersion of rodlike mullite grains.     

Effect of Sintering Additives on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Porous Silicon Nitride Ceramics

Porous silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) ceramics with about 50% porosity were fabricated by pressureless sintering of α-Si₃N₄ powder with 5 wt% sintering additive. Four types of sintering aids were chosen to study their effect on the microstructure and mechanical properties of porous Si₃N₄ ceramics. XRD analysis proved the complete formation of a single β-Si₃N₄ phase. Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties were dependent mostly on the type of sintering additive. SEM analysis revealed the resultant porous Si₃N₄ ceramics as having high aspect ratio, a rod-like microstructure, and a uniform pore structure. The sintered sample with Lu₂O₃ sintering additive, having a porosity of about 50%, showed a high flexural strength of 188 MPa, a high fracture toughness of 3.1 MPa·m^1/2, due to fine β-Si₃N₄ grains, and some large elongated grains.     

Sintering of Fine Oxide Powders: I, Microstructural Evolution

Microstructural evolution during sintering has been investigated using fine powders of CeO₂ and Y₂O₃ with excellent sinterability. A universal pore size distribution, normalized by particle size, has been determined and found to be a function of density only. Microstructure evolves toward the universal distribution, with or without densification, signifying homogenization at all stages. This may even involve the elimination of supercritical pores, at low densities, which are otherwise thermodynamically not sinterable. Theoretical justification for these observations is made by using a network model with a random, but spatially homogeneous, distribution of spherical particles. Final microstructure after full density is reached is also found to evolve toward a universal steady state of grain shape/grain size distribution regardless of initial state.     

Mechanical Properties of i-PP/AI Composites

Mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural, and impact behavior of Al powder-filled polypropylene composites were studied in the composite composition range 0–10 vol% Al. Tensile strength, modulus, and breaking elongation decreased with increase in filler content due to the formation of weak structure. Analysis of tensile strength data demonstrated the introduction of stress concentration into the structure. Flexural strength and modulus increased with filler content due to increase in rigidity. Izod impact strength at first increased up to a critical Al concentration, beyond which the value decreased.     

云母填充高密度聚乙烯复合材料的力学性能

考察了云母对填充高密度聚乙烯（HDPE）复合材料的力学性能的影响。结果表明，复合材料的拉伸强度、弯曲强度和弯曲模量随着云母用量的增加而提高。当云母质量分数小于5％时，复合材料的断裂伸长率随着云母用量的增加而增大，而冲击强度则明显下降；当云母质量分数大于5％后，两者均随着云母用量的增加而减小。     

ABS／木粉复合材料的力学性能研究

通过研究ABS／木粉复合材料的力学性能，比较了MAH增容、MAH／St原位增容、ABS-g-MAH增容等不同增容方法对复合体系的增容效果，发现ABS接枝物的增容效果优于原位增容效果；同时在ABS／木粉体系中引入复合基体PVC，在确定ABS／PVC配比为70／30的基础上，考察了木粉含量对体系性能的影响，发现三元复合体系的力学性能更佳。     

烧结助剂添加量对微波烧结3Y-TZP/Al2O3复相陶瓷性能的影响

本文分别以TiO2和MgO纳米粉体为烧结助剂,采用微波烧结技术制备了3Y-TZP/Al2O3复相陶瓷.研究了烧结助剂含量对材料相组成、致密化及力学性能的影响,通过XRD分析了复相陶瓷中t-ZrO2相的相对量变化,并采用SEM观察了弯曲断裂断口形貌.结果表明:随烧结助剂添加量的增加,微波烧结复相陶瓷的致密度、硬度和弯曲强度均有所增加,均优于传统烧结性能,陶瓷颗粒更细.烧结助剂添加量为0.2wt％ MgO、0.4wt％ TiO2,在1300℃微波烧结30 min时试样的致密度为98.1％,显微硬度和抗弯强度分别达18.9 GPa和626 MPa.     

Reaction Sintering and Mechanical Properties of Hydroxyapatite–Zirconia Composites with Calcium Fluoride Additions

The effects of calcium fluoride (CaF₂) additions on the densification and mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite–zirconia composites (HA–ZrO₂) were investigated. When small amount of CaF₂ was added, the density of the composites was markedly enhanced. The reactions of HA with CaF₂, which led to the formation of fluorapatite (FA), were attributed to the observed improvements in densification. When HA–20-vol%-ZrO₂ composites were sintered, with the addition of 5 vol% of CaF₂, in air at 1300°C, the density of the specimen approached 98% of the theoretical value. The flexural strength and fracture toughness of the composites were also improved, as a result of the enhanced densification.     

Studies on Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Aluminium Hybrid Composites: Influence of SiC/Gr Particles by Double Stir-Casting Approach

Silicon - In recent years considerable attention has been directed to the investigation of AMCs due to their growing application in the automobile and aerospace industries. An attempt was made to...     

Pressureless Sintering of Carbon Nanofibre/SiC Composites and Their Properties

To enhance the fracture toughness of silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics and prevent the generation of cracks and chippings in the SiC ceramics during machining process, carbon nanofibres (CNFs) were compounded with SiC. The densification and microstructure development of the CNFs/SiC composites pressureless sintered in Ar atmosphere were investigated. The fracture toughness of SiC ceramics was enhanced by the addition of 1–3 wt% CNFs, which resulted from the pullout and/or bridging effect of CNFs bonded much more closely with SiC. The addition of 3 wt% CNFs prevented the chippings from generating in the composite during precision machining process.     

Evolution of Mechanical Properties of Porous Alumina during Free Sintering and Hot Pressing

This comparative study addresses the influence of microstructural evolution on mechanical properties of porous alumina sintered with and without the application of uniaxial pressure. A complete set of data on Young's modulus, long-crack fracture toughness, and fracture strength for two alumina powders as a function of density was obtained. The evolution of fracture strength with increased density was modeled using a porosity-dependent crack-tip fracture toughness, linked to the contact area of grains and a porosity-dependent size of the largest defect. The defect shape factor was found independent of porosity. A uniaxial pressure of 13 MPa during densification had negligible effect on the relation of strength to porosity.