Nd_2O_3 DOPED YTTRIA STABILIZED ZIRCONIA CERAMICS FABRICATED BY CONVENTIONAL AND MICROWAVE SINTERING METHODS

摘要

Cubic 8 mol. % yuria stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) ceramics doped with 9, 12 and 15 wt. % Nd2O3 were sintered in a single mode 2.45 GHz microwave furnace at sintering temperature of 1400 degrees C for 20 min. and by conventional sintering at 1400 degrees C for 5 h. The microwave sintered samples attained higher densities than the conventional processed ones. The Nd2O3 additions have adverse effects on densification of 8YSZ, ceramics. The XRD investigations revealed that, cubic phase of 8YSZ, remained stable and substitution of Zr4+ ions by larger Nd3+ ions causes an increase in the lattice parameters with Nd2O3 additions. Vickers hairiness of 8YSZ decreased with addition of Nd2O3 irrespective of the sintering technique.