Zirconia-base ceramics for drawing tools

Results of an investigation and fabrication of a ceramic drawing tool based on zirconia partially stabilized by yttrium oxide and the combined stabilizing additives Y₂O₃ + CeO₂ and Y₂O₃ + MgO, which increase the heat resistance of the materials, are presented. The developed ceramics based on ZrO₂ and stabilized by 2% Y₂O₃ by chemical coprecipitation with a CeO₂ additive has the following parameters: an open porosity of 2.1%, an apparent density of 5.60 g/cm³, an ultimate bending strength of 450 MPa. In a ceramic based on ZrO₂ and stabilized by 5% Y₂O₃ by the method of ceramic sintering the corresponding parameters are 3%, 5.62 g/cm³, and 271 MPa. An experimental batch of zirconia drawing matrices has been produced and tested in tube drawing. Mandrel-free drawing of tubes made of stainless steel of grades 08Kh18N10, 12Kh18N10T, and éI702, copper of grade M1, and titanium alloy of grade VT1-0 and long-mandrel drawing of steel of grade 12Kh18N10T occurred stably and without sticking of the metal to the die or any damage to the tubes or dies. Translated from Ogneupory i Tekhnicheskaya Keramika, No. 5, pp. 14–20, May, 1996.