Power Dissipation Behaviors during SCF-sintering for 8 mol% Y₂O₃-doped ZrO₂

Abstract

Shrinkage behaviors during shrinkage rate-controlled flash (SCF) sintering were investigated for 8 mol% Y₂O₃–ZrO₂ (8YSZ) when shrinkage rates were varied between 60 and 300 μm/min under alternating current fields of 50 V_rms/cm, 1200 mA_rms, and 1000 Hz at a furnace temperature of approximately 870°C. Volumetric power dissipation and electrical conductivity were shown to exhibit similar dependencies against linear shrinkages even if the shrinkage rates were changed. The 8YSZ polycrystals, with similar microstructure and density, could be produced under all SCF conditions used in this study, which was confirmed as a characteristic feature of SCF sintering. Finally, the 8YSZ polycrystals with a density of 5.91–5.93 g/cm³ and a grain size of 2.2–2.6 μm could be produced with a shrinkage process period of 15–65 min at a furnace temperature of approximately 870°C.