Title: Relationship between microstructure and fracture toughness in B₂O₃-doped 8YSZ ceramics

Authors: Bülent Aktaş

Addresses: Mechanical Engineering Department, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey

Abstract: This study aims to increase the fracture toughness of 8 mol.% yttria-stabilised cubic zirconia (8YSZ) at room temperature owing to the addition of boron oxide (B₂O₃). Therefore, in this study, the effect of B₂O₃ addition on sinterability and mechanical properties of 8YSZ was investigated using Micro-Vickers hardness tester and scanning electron microscope (SEM). B₂O₃-doped 8YSZ samples were sintered at different temperatures (1,300-1,500°C). A relative density of approximately 99% was obtained at 1,500°C in the B₂O₃-doped samples. While the B₂O₃ addition at 1 wt.% content caused a decrease in the grain size of the 8YSZ, and then when the content was > 1 wt.%, it increased. Furthermore, the mechanical properties results showed that fracture toughness of 8YSZ increased with B₂O₃ addition, and the hardness decreased with B₂O₃ addition. Thus, it was found that the fracture toughness of 8YSZ could be improved by B₂O₃ addition. [Received: 6 December 2019; Accepted: 11 May 2020]

Keywords: 8 mol.% yttria-stabilised cubic zirconia; 8YSZ; boron oxide; B₂O₃; liquid phase sintering; fracture toughness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2020.115199

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2020 Vol.15 No.4, pp.287 - 297

Received: 06 Dec 2019
Accepted: 11 May 2020
Published online: 24 May 2021 *

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