Surface Segregation in Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) at Elevated Temperatures

Abstract

The present work reports surface segregation in polycrystalline yttria-stabilized zirconia (cubic) including 10 mol% Y₂O₃ (10YSZ). The 10YSZ specimen was annealed in the range 1073 K - 1673 K in the gas phase of controlled oxygen activity. The segregation-induced intensity profiles of ⁸⁹Y, ²⁸Si, and ⁹⁰Zr were measured using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The data obtained show that (i) annealing of 10YSZ results in the formation of segregationinduced concentration gradients of ⁸⁹Y, ²⁸Si, and (ii) segregation-induced profiles depend on oxygen activity.