2001 Volume 42 Issue 6 Pages 1119-1123
An Al2O3-5 vol%ZrO2 micro/nano-composite was successfully fabricated by sintering the high-energy ball milled mixture of commercial Al2O3 powder and zirconium alkoxide. The composite could be sintered to a nearly full density at 1450°C in the ambient atmosphere. The microstructure consisted of the fine dispersions of ZrO2 particles, both intra-granular type of ∼ 50 nm and inter-granular type of ∼ 0.2 \\micron, and Al2O3 matrix grains of ∼ 0.6 \\micron. The role of high energy ball milling in the present nano-composite formation was primarily the refinement of the Al2O3 grains and the introduction of strains in them.
