Abstract:
Ceramics based on zirconium dioxide are very important compounds for dental, implant,
and structural material applications. Despite the fact that tetragonally stabilized YSZ has been
well studied, the search for new compositions of zirconia-based ceramics is still in progress. The
ZrO2
-CeO2 system is one of the alternatives for YSZ materials, but there is conflicting experimental
data on its phase composition and mechanical properties depending on the ratio of components. In
this study, we investigated the phase composition, and microstructural, mechanical, and physical
properties of (1 − x)·ZrO2
-x·CeO2
(step of x = 0.05) ceramics obtained by the solid-state sintering
process from micron-sized powders. For the characterization of samples, XRD, Raman spectroscopy,
SEM, the Vickers Microhardness Test, and dielectric spectroscopy were implemented. The results
showed that by varying the CeO2 concentration, it is possible to synthesize stable tetragonal ZrO2
at room temperature with a high microhardness HV0.05 value of ~1500, low porosity (~2.5%), and
a high dielectric constant of 36. The pronounced combined effect of tetragonal phase formation,
densification, and grain size reduction on the mechanical and dielectric properties of the experimental
samples was investigated. Refined experimental data make it possible to synthesize high-quality
zirconia–ceria ceramics for use as refractories, dispersed nuclear fuel, or solid oxide fuel cells.
