Preparation and Properties of ZrO2 Doped Y2O3-MgO Nanocomposite Ceramics

doi:10.15541/jim20240438

Abstract

Abstract:

Compared with single-phase Y₂O₃ ceramics, Y₂O₃-MgO nanocomposite ceramics exhibit superior mechanical strength, hardness, thermal conductivity, and excellent infrared band transparency, endowing them a good infrared window material. However, harsh mechanical and thermal operating conditions impose stringent requirements on the optical and mechanical properties of infrared window materials. In this study, high-purity Y₂O₃-MgO nanocomposite powder was used as raw material, and Y₂O₃-MgO nanocomposite powders with different ZrO₂ contents, in which Zr⁴⁺ ions accounted for the percentage of Y³⁺ ions at 1%, 3% and 5%, were prepared by adding zirconium nitrate aqueous solution during ball milling. ZrO₂:Y₂O₃-MgO nanocomposite ceramics were fabricated by hot pressing sintering at 1350 ℃ and 35 MPa for 30 min. The influence of ZrO₂ content on the phase, microstructure, infrared transmittance, hardness, and bending strength of nanocomposite ceramics was systematically studied. The results showed that doping ZrO₂ dissolved and uniformly distributed in the Y₂O₃ lattice changed microstructure of Y₂O₃-MgO nanocomposite ceramics and caused lattice distortion, which had a significant impact on the optical and mechanical properties of Y₂O₃-MgO nanocomposite ceramics. The microstructures of ZrO₂:Y₂O₃-MgO nanocomposite ceramics reveal that increasing ZrO₂ content can hinder ceramic densification, resulting in obvious pores in 5%ZrO₂:Y₂O₃-MgO nanocomposite ceramic. Meanwhile, doping ZrO₂ can enhance the hardness and bending strength of Y₂O₃-MgO nanocomposite ceramics, which can be attributed to lattice distortion suppressing the dislocations’ motion. 3%ZrO₂:Y₂O₃-MgO nanocomposite ceramic has a dense microstructure, with a transmittance of ~82% in the range of 3-5 μm, while exhibiting a hardness of 11.43 GPa and a bending strength of 276.67 MPa.

Key words: nanocomposite ceramic, infrared transparent material, ZrO₂ doping, microstructure, mechanical property, lattice distortion

CLC Number:

TQ174

MU Haojie, ZHANG Yuanjiang, YU Bin, FU Xiumei, ZHOU Shibin, LI Xiaodong. Preparation and Properties of ZrO₂ Doped Y₂O₃-MgO Nanocomposite Ceramics[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2025, 40(3): 281-289.

Figures/Tables 9

Fig. 1 (a) TEM image and (b) SAED pattern of commercial Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite powder

Fig. 2 (a) XRD patterns, (b) crystalline sizes and specific surface areas of Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite powders doped with different ZrO2 concentrations (atom fraction)

Fig. 3 (a) XRD patterns and diffraction peaks of (b) Y2O3 (222) and (c) MgO (200) crystal planes of Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite ceramics doped with different ZrO2concentrations (atom fraction)

Fig. 4 (a, b) Bright field images of 3%ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite ceramic, (c) high resolution image of grain boundary, and (d-g) element mappings of Mg, Y, Zr, and O

Fig. 5 Surface morphologies and grain size distributions of Y2O3 and MgO phases of ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite ceramics (a-c) Surface morphologies of (a) 1%ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO, (b) 3%ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO and (c) 5%ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite ceramics; (d-f) Grain size distributions of Y2O3 phase in (d) 1%ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO, (e) 3%ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO and (f) 5%ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite ceramics; (g-i) Grain size distributions of MgO phase in (g) 1%ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO, (h) 3%ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO and (i) 5%ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite ceramics

Fig. 6 Infrared transmittance spectra of ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite ceramics

Fig. 7 Hardness and flexural strength of ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite ceramics

Fig. 8 (a, e) Bright field images and (b-d, f) HAADF atomic images of (a-d) Y2O3 phase and (e, f) MgO phase in 3%ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite ceramic

Fig. 9 Fracture toughness of ZrO2:Y2O3-MgO nanocomposite ceramics

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Preparation and Properties of ZrO₂ Doped Y₂O₃-MgO Nanocomposite Ceramics

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