Development of alumina toughened zirconia nanocomposites using spark plasma sintering

Recent trends in alumina zirconia nano composites have demonstrated superior properties and have been used in various engineering fields like cutting tools, aerospace, ballistic armors and medical implants. The present work aims in development of alumina toughened zirconia nano-composite using spark plasma sintering (SPS), which enhances densification over grain growth. The rapid heating and pressure was applied simultaneously at a heating rate of 100 degrees C/min and applied pressure of 60MPa. The sintering temperature and holding time used were 1300 degrees C and 5minutes respectively. The property of the developed product like density, surface roughness, porosity, hardness and microstructure was improved due to the suppressed grain growth. The developed composite is used in hip joint replacements and ballistic armors. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Selection and/or Peer-review under responsibility of Advances in Materials & Processing: Challenges & Opportunities (AMPCO-2017).