Fabrication and Characterization of Mullite Reinforced MgO Added ZrO2 Ceramics

Abstract

In this study, mullite (3Al2O3.2SiO2) and 10 mol % magnesia added zirconia (10 mol % MgO - 90 mol % ZrO2) ceramic powders were synthesized by conventional ceramic production processing route. The mixtures were prepared by mechanical alloying method in acetone environment with zirconia ball mill. The powders were dried in oven at 110 ºC for 24 hours before mixing. Mullite (3Al2O3.2SiO2) and 10 mol% magnesia added zirconia (MgO-ZrO2) ceramic powders were synthesized by reaction sintering from the powders made up of stoichiometric proportions of Al2O3, SiO2, MgO and ZrO2 powders after being homogenized in acetone environment in ball mills. Mullite (3Al2O3.2SiO2) and 10 mol% magnesia added zirconia (MgO-ZrO2) ceramic powders were synthesized in air at 1600 oC for 3 h and 1300 oC for 2 h, respectively. Then, the ceramic phases formed were made ready to form ceramic - ceramic composites by crushing, grinding and sieving processes. Then 0 and 10% by weight mullite (M) added magnesia doped zirconia (MgZ) mixtures were prepared by powder metallurgy method. The prepared mixtures were wet milled with zirconia ball mill for 24 h and sieved. After drying, the powders were compacted to preforms of 56x12x10 mm by uniaxial pressing at 200 MPa. The green compacts were sintered at 1500-1600 oC for 1-5 h in air conditions using a heating rate of 5 oC min-1 in a high temperature furnace. Then, microstructure (SEM), phase analysis (XRD), mechanical (hardness, 3-point bending and wear) and physical properties (% shrinkage, water absorption, porosity and density) tests were performed on the mullite added magnesia doped zirconia ceramic composites. In this study, whether there is a phase change in the ZrO2 - MgO mixture at high sintering temperatures and the effect of mullite additive on the properties of this mixture was investigated. The data obtained were presented in graphs and tables and their comments were made.