Hydrothermal synthesis of precursors for Y-TZP/α-Al2O3 composite

A coprecipitated xerogel having the composition of 90 vol.% zirconia (3 mol% Y₂O₃) and remaining 10 vol.% alumina was crystallized under hydrothermal conditions by adopting conventional (110 °C for 7 days) or microwave (250 °C for 2 h) routes. The hydrothermal treatments of crystallization were performed in the presence of (KOH+K₂CO₃) (K), (CH₃)₄NOH (TMA), or (C₂H₅)₄NOH (TEA) mineralizer solutions at different concentrations.The role of the two different hydrothermal routes, of the nature and the concentration of the mineralizer solution on the thermal behaviour of the resulting powders are discussed.