Abstract
400KeV Ag+ ions were irradiated to the (100) surfaces of 9.5m% Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 with the doses ranging from 5×1015 ions/cm2 to 5×1017 ions /cm2 at room temperature in order to investigate the correlations between the state of implanted Ag and the suppression of crack initiation.
1) Ag precipitated as particles in orienting the (200) face of Ag. The sizes of the Ag particles were ranging from 2nm(5×1016ions/cm2)to 11nm (5×1017ions/cm2).
2) Knoop hardness of the surface of ZrO2 increased by about 20-30% by Ag+ ion-irradiation at the doses less than 5×1016ions/cm2 and decreased at the doses larger than 1×1017ions/cm2.
3) Vickers indentation crack at a loads of 0.25N was completely suppressed in the surface of ZrO2 irradiated to a dose of 5×1017ions/cm2.
4) The suppression of the crack initiation may be ascribed to the influence of the nanometer composite layer containing max. 23at% Ag.
