Influence of calcination temperature on the zirconia microstructure synthesized by complex polymerization method (CPM): a comparative study

Full text: The aim of this study was to accomplish a previous characterization of the zirconia synthesized by Complex Polymerization Method (CPM) using yttria as stabilizing agent and different calcination temperatures. The powders were crystallized at 800, 900 and 1000 °C for 2h. The structural evolution Y-TZP powders were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Micro-Raman Spectroscopy. The thermal properties of the calcined pre-pyrolyzed (350 °C for 4 h), samples were investigated by simultaneous thermo analysis (TGA/DTA). After heat treatment the phase Y-TZP was obtained of a single-phase, with absence of the deleterious phases. The results show that average crystallite size of the powder synthesized with 3% of Yttria dopant, increased from 11.5 to 27.9 nm when the calcination temperature increased from 800 to 1000 °C. This behavior was observed for all specimens independent of the Yttria content. The micro-Raman indicate the presence of the tetragonal phase for all samples independent of the calcination temperature employed. (author)