TOF-SIMS studies of yttria-stabilised zirconia

The surface of an as-polished and an as-sintered yttria-stabilised zirconia pellet was analysed with XPS and TOF-SIMS (depth profiling and imaging) in order to study the distribution of impurities. The polished sample was slightly contaminated with Na, K, Mg and Ca. The sintered sample showed a thin surface film of segregated species, especially Na, Si and Al. Below the surface film, it was found that the grain boundaries were filled with impurities. The chemical compositions of the as-polished and as-sintered surfaces are very different and the surface state should be considered when performing electrochemical measurements. Copyright (C) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.