Lower air-crystallization temperature and nanostructured yttria-doped tetragonal zirconia polycrystals ceramics by seeding assisted chemical coprecipitation

The crystallization temperature of yttria-doped tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (Y-TZP) amorphous precursors can be lowered 150 °C below that currently used (≥500 °C), if “seeding assisted chemical coprecipitation” is used. Completely crystallized Y-TZP nanocrystalline powder was obtained by calcining at 350 °C in air; the Y-TZP precursors seeded with 10 wt% of nanometric (∼8 nm) Y-TZP particles. The seed particles enhanced both the nucleation and the crystallization rates at lower temperatures. From such a powder, 99% dense and nanostructured (grain size, >90 n m) Y-TZP bodies can be prepared by sintering below 1050 °C.