Properties of ZrO2/glass-ceramics composite

In order to reduce the raw materials cost, lower the sintering temperature of 3Y-TZP optical fiber ferrules, the 3Y-TZP/LAS glass ceramics composites were prepared and their properties were investigated in this paper. The results showed that the sintering temperatures and thermal expansion coefficients of the 3Y-TZP/LAS glass ceramics composites were lowered with the increase of glass content. The flexural strength of the composites were decreased with the increase of glass content, but the flexural strength of the composite with 15% weight glass was higher than 400MPa. The LAS glass powder added into the composites was crystallized and beta-spodumene s.s was precipitated. during sintering. The P-spodumene s.s. having lower thermal expansion coefficient and higher strength was beneficial to reduce thermal expansion coefficients and keep higher strengths of the composites.