Fabrication of Graphene/Zirconia Nanocomposite by Mixing Graphite Oxide and Zirconia Nanopowders and Pressureless Sintering

Graphene has unique two-dimensional nanostructure with high specific surface areas, superior mechanical properties which has promising applications for the development of high performance nanocomposite materials. Most of previous work on graphene nanocomposites addresses on polymer matrix. In the present work, we have fabricated zirconia and graphene nanocomposites (ZrO2/GNS) by simple mechanical mixing and pressureless sintering process. Microstructural observations of the composite show the homogeneous and random distributions of graphene nanosheet in the zirconia matrix. Scanning electronic microscopy observes partially pulled out graphene nanosheets with well combined interface with the matrix in fractural surface, showing promising reinforcement effects.