Experimental investigation and statistical analysis of the microwave drying process on the physical properties of Y2O3–Al2O3–ZrO2 composite ceramic powder

Abstract

Y2O3–Al2O3–ZrO2 composite ceramic powders are an important structural and functional material. The agglomeration problem in the ceramic powder drying process must be resolved to prepare high-quality ceramic powder, and choosing the right drying techniques can significantly lessen ceramic powder agglomeration. Y2O3–Al2O3–ZrO2 ceramic powder was dried using microwave drying. The drying kinetics of the powders were examined with their initial mass, moisture content, and microwave power. As microwave power, beginning moisture content, and initial mass rose, the average drying rate also increased, according to the experimental data. To better characterize the microwave drying process, the drying data were fitted and analyzed using four thin-layer drying kinetic models, namely Quadratic Model, Modified Page, Wang and Singh, and Two-term exponential. The outcomes demonstrate the good fitting effect of the Modified Page model and the compliance of the fitting parameters with the law. The samples before and after drying were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Calculating the diffusion coefficient by Fick's second law shows that the effective diffusion coefficient of Y2O3–Al2O3–ZrO2 composite ceramic powder is 5.6 × 10−11 m2/s when the initial moisture content is 5%, the microwave heating power is 560 W, and the initial mass is 25 g. The activation energy for microwave drying of Y2O3–Al2O3–ZrO2 ceramic powders was calculated to be 22.83 W/g according to the Arrhenius formula. This paper aims to provide a theoretical basis and rich experimental data for the study of microwave drying of Y2O3–Al2O3–ZrO2 composite ceramic powder.