Variation of structural and mechanical properties as 20 wt% ZrO2 added to Al2O3 for biomedical application

Employing slurry method, 20 wt % of ZrO2 has been prepared by incorporating high purity nanocrystalline alpha-alumina powder and sintered at 1600 degrees C for two hours. XRD pattern confirmed the existence of m and t phase of 20 wt % of ZrO2 compared to pure alumina. The theoretical and bulk density increases with the doping of zirconia, whereas porosity declines with the similar change of zirconia. By using SEM, the surface morphology of the samples has been studied. The effect of zirconia content on hardness and elastic modulus were examined. Maximum hardness and elastic modulus has been observed for pure alumina. Moreover, flexural strength shown increasing trend with the rise of zirconia content. An alternative design of Al2O3-ZrO2 composites can be employed for improved structural and mechanical properties for biomedical application rather than using pure alumina at 1600 degrees C.