METHOD FOR PRODUCING ZIRCONIA-ALUMINA COMPOSITE CERAMIC MATERIAL, ZIRCONIA-ALUMINA COMPOSITE GRANULATED POWDER, AND ZIRCONIA BEADS

摘要

The present invention produces a zirconia-alumina composite ceramic material that exhibits an excellent wear resistance and hardness and that resists chipping at the particle edges. The zirconia-alumina composite ceramic material according to the present invention has a composite structure in which zirconia particles are dispersed in alumina particles and the alumina particles are dispersed in the zirconia particles. A first phase is formed of ceria-containing zirconia particles and a second phase is formed of alumina particles. An α-alumina powder having an average particle size of at least 0.1 µm and a γ-alumina powder having an average particle size of 0.01 to 0.1 µm are used in a proportion of 85 : 15 to 65 : 35 as the mass ratio for the alumina powder for producing the alumina particles of the second phase.