Effect of CIP on the strength of ceramics produced from ZrO2 + 3 mol.% Y2O3 powder

It is shown that the strength of ceramics from zirconia partially stabilized with yttria (PSZ) is determined substantially by the nature of the surface or subsurface defects. The kind of defects is connected with the fullness of formation of grain boundaries. It is shown that growth of the CIP pressure causes a change in the nature of the defect responsible for fracture, which in turn causes substantial hardening of the ceramics. When PSZ powder is pressed at 0.4 GPa the resulting ceramics has an ultimate bending strength of 1700 MPa. As a rule ceramics with such a strength are obtained only with the use of hot isostatic pressure.