Zirconia-stainless steel functionally graded material by tape casting

Ceramic/metal functionally graded material (FGM) was fabricated by tape casting. Zirconia (ZrO2) and stainless steel (SUS) were stably dispersed in deionized water (DI-water). An optimal dispersion condition of ZrO2 was obtained from electrokinetic sonic amplitude (ESA) data, and ZrO2 particles could be dispersed by electrostatic repulsion. Conversely, a stable SUS slurry was prepared by increasing solution viscosity and using steric hindrance. Monophase and binary slurries were cast at uniform thickness through a doctor blade. ZrO2/SUS FGM was sintering at 1350 degrees C in Ar/H-2 atmosphere. The sintering defects could be controlled by the adjustment of the particle size and phase-type of ZrO2. As a consequence, the microstructure and interface shelved a compositional gr adient continuously. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.