Abstract
Recently, there are growing demands in manufacturing of net shape micro parts for wide range of applications due to the increasing interest in miniaturization. In this paper, the fabrication of tetragonal phase zirconia/alumina (YSZ/Al2O3) nanocomposite micro-parts with high quality is presented. The fabrication process is based on soft lithography and colloidal powder dispersion. Experimental results showed that by optimizing the soft lithography and the dispersion process, it was possible to produce high-resolution micro-parts with well dispersed alumina. The X-ray diffraction results had confirmed the important role of the alumina particles in eliminating the emergence of monoclinic phase while the microstructures reveal a pure tetragonal phase. In addition, the sintered YSZ/Al2O3 micro parts achieved micro hardness with 20% superior to the pure YSZ sintered micro-parts with the addition of 5% alumina.
Highlights
Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) can be manufactured using a wide range of technologies such as by micro machining of silicon-based materials or by photolithography of a UV sensitive resin
Further increase of D-3005 concentration had only caused a minor enhancement of the stability behaviour of the suspension
Net shape Yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ)/Al2O3 nanocomposite micro-components were successfully manufactured through a process based on soft lithography and powder dispersion
Summary
Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) can be manufactured using a wide range of technologies such as by micro machining of silicon-based materials or by photolithography of a UV sensitive resin. State-of-the-art ceramic micro devices and platforms include few attempts to fabricate ceramic nanocomposite MEMS using the latest advances in nanomaterials, which have made it possible to control the ceramic materials at nano-scale [4,5,6]. Zaman and others [7] used electrophoretic deposition to fill micro moulds with Boehmite/multi-wall carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposite in order to fabricate complex shape micro-gears. The micro moulds were fabricated using rapid proto typing and were filled with stable colloidal suspensions of Boehmite/multi-wall CNT nanocomposite. The tetragonal phase could not be preserved in the surface without grinding the samples after sintering. This stood as a significant limitation especially if the nanocomposites were intended to be used as structural materials [8]. The impermeability of the mould bottom surfaces, that resisted the uniform contraction of the micro gear, was associated with porosity in the bottom surfaces
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