Grain growth in ultrafine-grained Y-TZP ceramics

Grain growth in dense ultrafine-grained (120-600 nm) tetragonal ZrO2-Y2O3 ceramics is studied as a function of temperature. At all temperatures investigated both segregation and phase partitioning occur. If is argued that at temperatures less than or equal to 1150 degrees C grain growth is not significantly inhibited by solid solution drag or by phase partitioning. At higher temperatures the grain growth behaviour can be explained by the models of solid solution drag and/or phase partitioning depending on conditions. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Limited.