Influence of the synthesis process on the features of Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 powders obtained by the sol?gel method

NADIA MAMANA; ANTONIO DÍAZ-PARRALEJO; ANGEL L. ORTIZ; FLORENTINO SÁNCHEZ-BAJO; RICARDO CARUSO

CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2014 vol. 40 p. 6421 - 6426

0272-8842

Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) powders have been prepared by the sol?gel method using different synthesis parameters. Specifically, zirconium n-propoxide was dissolved in propanol at pH 0.5 or 5 (provide by HNO3), with or without acetic acid in the hydrolysis medium. Subsequently, the YSZ powders obtained by gelation and drying of these solutions were characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopies, X-ray diffractometry, and N2-adsorption. Compact made from these YSZ powder and then sintered were also analyzed. It was found that the pH of the hydrolysis medium has a notable influence on the microstructure, morphology, colour, crystallinity, and sintering behaviour process of these YSZ sol-gel powders. It was also found that the use of acetic acid also affects the YSZ powder features, and results in compacts with higher residual porosity after sintering. Finally, the compacts prepared from the YSZ powders obtained at pH 5 and without acetic acid exhibit the greatest sinterability.