On the Densification Behavior of (0.2, 0.5, and 1 Wt Pct) CNT-YSZ Ceramic Composites Processed via Spark Plasma Sintering

摘要

Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) is a promising thermal insulating ceramic for high temperature applications due to its stability and chemical inertness. As was demonstrated with other technical ceramics (e.g., Alumina), addition of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) to a ceramic matrix may significantly enhance its mechanical properties. In this work, 8 mol pct YSZ with 0.2, 0.5, and 1 wt pct CNT composites were fabricated via the spark plasma sintering process. The densification, Vicker’s microhardness, specific gravity, and microstructure evolution of the composites were investigated. The results suggest that the addition of CNTs to YSZ hindered densification and grain growth during SPS processing leading to inhomogeneous grain size distribution. However, the CNTs had a profound impact on the hardness of the composite ceramics, with an increase from 697 HV (YSZ) to 1195 HV (1 wt pctCNT-YSZ).