Fabrication, optical transmittance, and hardness of IR-transparent ceramics made from nanophase yttria

摘要

Commercially available nanophase yttria powder was used to fabricate a transparent ceramic and its optical transmittance and hardness were measured. The nanophase yttria powder was dry-pressed without the use of any binders. Subsequently, the green body was sintered in air, hot-isostatically pressed, and polished, resulting in an IR-transparent ceramic. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a grain size of 21.5 + - 11.1 mu m. Optical transmittance reached about 60 percent at 1 mu m, and hardness measurements showed 792 HK_(100g), 704 HK_(500g), and 767 HV_(100g).