MgAl2O4-ZrO2(Y2O3) ceramic composite: Sintering and characterization

Abstract

Spinel is a ceramic material of excellent translucence when sintered in high densification, however, its low sinterability and toughness difficulty limit its use as an interesting material for dental applications. The use of stabilized zirconia ZrO2(Y2O3) as Spinel agent is studied in this work. Zirconia contents between 10% and 50% were mixed to Spinel and samples were uniaxially and isostatically pressed. The specimens were sintered at 1575ºC with isothermal holding time of 120 minutes. Samples were characterized by X Ray Diffraction (XRD), SEM, relative density, microhardness and fracture toughness. The samples which showed better mechanical performance were the ones with 50% zirconia and sintered at 1575ºC, with 90% relative density, hardness of 400HV and KIC of 2.4MPa.m1/2.