Abstract
Fine powders of CeO 2 -stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Ce-TZP) with and without Y 2 O 3 dopants were fabricated through a coprecipitation process. The powder characteristics were evaluated by thermal differential analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), infrared spectra (IR) and X-ray diffraction. CeO 2 doping reduces the phase transformation temperature and significantly stabilizes the tetragonal phase. IR spectra imply that OH group is not closely related to the formation of metastable tetragonal phase. Size effect may, however, play a role in stabilizing the tetragonal phase. No appreciable distinction between undoped and Y 2 O 3 -doped Ce-TZP powders was observed in either DTA or TGA thermograms. The DTA thermogram for the alcohol-washed gel exhibits rather complicated exothermic peaks as compared to the as-synthesized coprecipitates. It is argued that this difference is attributed to the interaction between CeO 2 and ethyl alcohol during the fabrication process. © 1990.