Formation of Unstabilized and Yttria Stabilized ZrO2 Fibers from a Suspension of Monodispersed ZrO2

Abstract

Unstabilized and yttria stabilized ZrO2 fibers were prepared from a monodispersed ZrO2 particles derived from hydrolysis of Zr(OBu)4. Unstabilized ZrO2 fibers with 71 to 151 μm of width and yttria stabilized ZrO2 fibers with 96 to 214 μm of width, were formed by drying the ethanol suspension of monodispersed ZrO2 particles with 116 nm in mean diameter. The morphology of the ZrO2 fibers were plate like and consisted of densely packed ZrO2 nano particles. The preparation conditions affected the fiber width. This was due to the lower concentration of ZrO2 particles in suspension, or the higher drying temperatures, which gave the narrower fiber width. The mean particle size of the 5 mol% Y2O3 doped ZrO2 fiber heat treatment at 1473 K was 0.14 μm and the fiber showed 11.0 GPa on the Vickers Hardness Test.