Abstract: Compared to fine-grained PSZ ceramics prepared by coprecipitation, the costabilized (Y, Mg)-PSZ and (Ce, Mg)-PSZ wigh MgAl₂O₄ spinel additions were developed, in
which industrial zirconia was used as the main starting material. Powders were prepared by mechanical milling-mixing process. During mixing process, distilled water was partially used as
ball-milling medium instead of ethanol. Feasibility for milling-mixing in distilled water was studied. The experimental results showed that fine-grained PSZ ceramics sintered at low solid
solution temperature (≤1550℃) could be achieved by mechanical mixing process, as well as coprecipitation. These materials had good mechanical properties: the flexural strength and
fracture toughness at room temperature were about 700MPa and 15MPa·m^1/2, respectively. After hydrothermal treatment (180℃, 1MPa, in distilled water) up to 20h, (Ce, Mg)-PSZ materials
exhibited much better thermal stability than (Y, Mg)-PSZ ceramics.

Key words: fine-grained (Y/Ce, Mg)-PSZ/MgAl₂O₄ ceramics, industrial zirconia, mechanical milling-mixing process, mechanical properties, thermal stability