Production of high-strength ceramic bodies of alumina and unstabilized zirconia with controlled microfissures

摘要

A method of preparing a ceramic body of high toughness from an aluminum oxide matrix forming ceramic material by using a ceramic embedment material to generate tensile stresses for the formation of controlled microfissures, is provided. The ceramic embedment material comprises 4 to 25% of the volume of the body to be formed, of unstabilized zirconium dioxide and/or hafnium dioxide with a particle size of 0.3 to 1.25 um. This is mixed with the aluminum oxide material and the mixture is sintered by hot-pressing in a mold at a temperature of 1400° C. to 1500° C.