Influence of Low Temperature Aging on the Flexural Strength of Y-TZP Ceramics

摘要

Low temperature aging (LTD) is an important factor of Y-TZP ceramic as artificial joint femoral head and dental restorative materials in vivo for long-term application. In this paper, the accelerated aging experiments on Y-TZP ceramics were conducted. The t-m phase transition is occurring from the surface to the inside during low temperature aging of Y-TZP ceramics. As content of phase transformation increases, thickness of phase transformation layer increases. While the content of surface monoclinic phase is less, the volume expansion and surface stress caused by phase transformation can make cracks and holes shrink or even close, then the flexural strength increase. As a large number of surface monoclinic phase was generated, due to there are a lot of microscopic defects in the phase transition layer, crystals loose, strength of grain boundary lower than that of not aging area and phase transformation layers fracture in the intergranular mode, that damages the flexural strength. Therefore, the flexural strength increases firstly and then decrease with the increase of surface monoclinic content.