Preparation of the Al2O3/3Y-TZP Ceramics by Microwave Sintering under Low Temperature

Nanometer Al2O3/3Y-TZP powders were prepared by coprecipitation process and the Al2O3/3Y-TZP ceramics were prepared by microwave sintering under relatively low temperature. The relative density, bending strength and fracture toughness of the Al2O3/3Y-TZP ceramic samples were studied. The results showed that the Al2O3/3Y-TZP powders exhibited fine and homogeneous near-spherical particles with the size of 40-60 nm. With increasing the sintering temperatures, all of the relative density, bending strength and fracture toughness of the ceramic samples increased firstly, reaching the maximum values of 99.1%, 1236 MPa and 10.89 MPa·m1/2 at 1250 °C respectively, and then decreased.