Correlations among sintering temperature, shrinkage, and open porosity of 3.5 YSZ/Al2O3 composites.

Slip-cast ceramic samples of the system (100 −x ) (ZrO 2 –3.5 mol% Y 2 O 3 )– x Al 2 O 3 (abridged as (100− x ) 3.5 YSZ/ x Al 2 O 3 composite, where x is expressed in wt%) were examined using dilatometry, isothermal sintering and electron microscopy methods. The shrinkage in the range 1100–1300 °C was found to be higher for the (100− x ) 3.5 YSZ/ x Al 2 O 3 samples with prevailing fraction of PSZ than for the composites with a corundum matrix. When the weight fraction of corundum was increased, the relative shrinkage of the (100− x ) 3.5 YSZ/ x Al 2 O 3 samples decreased and the open porosity of the ceramic materials grew. The effect of <gamma>-Al 2 O 3 impurity on the sintering process and linear dimensions of ceramics is shown. Heat treatment of (50–40) 3.5 YSZ/(50–60) Al 2 O 3 composites at 1300 °C are proposed as the optimum conditions for porous diaphragm formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]