EFFECT OF DOPING BY YTTRIUM-STABILIZED ZIRCONIA ON THE STRUCTURE AND THE PROPERTIES OF THE CERAMICS BASED ON θ -ALUMINA
The results of the study of the effect of doping by zirconium dioxide (ZrO<sub>2</sub>) stabilized by three molar percent of yttrium oxide (3 mol% Y<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) (Z3Y) on the structure and the properties of ceramics based on θ-alumina (θ-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) are presented. The phase composition of the powders and the structure of the Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-Z3Y ceramics system have been studied with respect to the amount of the dopant Z3Y. Three series of ceramic samples produced at temperatures of 1450, 1500, and 1550°C have been tested. The mode of obtaining dense corundum ceramics based on the θ-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanopowders is derived that implies sintering at the temperature of 1550°C with holding for 2 h. It has been found that the physical and mechanical properties of the Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> + Z3Y ceramics are non-monotonic and depending on the concentration of stabilized zirconia. The maximum values of the physical and mechanical characteristics are achieved at the doping element concentration of 10 wt%.