The Formation of ZrO2–Ti Composites by Spark Plasma Sintering

The preliminary analysis of the ZrO2–Ti composite is conducted. The samples are prepared from the nanosized ZrO2 powder stabilized with 3 mol.% Y2O3 and 10 vol.% Ti powder with particles ~15 μm in size. The samples are formed by spark plasma sintering. The spark plasma sintering parameters are: temperature 1350°C, pressure 20 MPa, and duration 10 min. All process is carried out in argon. The density of the sintered ZrO2–Ti composites is determined by the Archimedes method. The microstructural characterization is carried out using X-ray diffraction and a scanning electron microscope. Additionally, the hardness and fracture toughness are measured. The obtained composite samples have a density of ~98–99% of the theoretical value. The homogenous distribution of titanium in zirconia matrix is SEM-confirmed. Moreover, the existence of a new phase in the Ti–Zr–O system is revealed by the X-ray diffraction analysis.