Reinforcing and toughening alumina/titania ceramic composites with nano-dopants from nanostructured composite powders

Nanostructured alumina/titania composite powders were prepared using nanosized alumina and titania doped with nanosized zirconia and ceria through ball-milling, spray drying and heat treating. The nanostructured reconstituted powders were then cool isostatic pressed and pressureless sintered into bulk ceramic composites. The phase constitution and microstructures of as-prepared ceramic composites were characterized by using X-ray diffractometer and scanning electron microscope. The mechanical properties of the ceramic composites were evaluated by Vickers hardness test, flexural strength test and fracture toughness test. The effects of nano-dopants and sintering temperatures on the microstructures and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated. It was found that nano-dopants had the effects of lowering sintering temperature, accelerating densification, reinforcing and toughening the composites. The maximum flexural strength, fracture toughness and Vickers hardness of the composites with nano-dopants were 51, 20 and 56% higher than that of the composites without nano-dopants. The reinforcing and toughening mechanisms are discussed in detail. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.