Characterization of in-situ zirconia/mullite composites prepared by sol-gel technique

The main objective of this study was to investigate the role of zirconia addition to mullite through an in-situ reaction aimed at improving both the mechanical properties and the sinterability behavior. In this work, mullite-zirconia composites were produced using a sol-gel technique. Different amounts of zirconia (0, 10, 15, and 20 wt.%) were added to the mullite, and the calcined gels were sintered at 1550-1700 degrees C for 1 h. The apparent porosity and bulk density of the blank and zirconia/mullite composites were estimated in accordance with ASTM C-20. The phase composition and sample morphology were evaluated via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy analysis (SEM), respectively. Furthermore, the mechanical properties and thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) were also evaluated. The results revealed that the apparent porosity decreased and the density of the zirconia/mullite composites increased when the sintering temperature was increased from 1550 to 1700 degrees C. However, the mechanical properties improved with increasing zirconia content and MZ20 sintered at 1700 degrees C exhibited the maximum bending strength. The TEC results reflected the influence of the composition on the sample TEC. Samples with higher ZrO2 content yielded higher TEC figures than those with lower content.

Automated summary

The study aimed to investigate the role of zirconia addition in mullite to improve mechanical properties and sinterability. Mullite-zirconia composites were produced with different zirconia levels and sintered at various temperatures. Results showed that increasing sintering temperature led to lower porosity and higher density, while higher zirconia content improved mechanical properties, with the MZ20 sample showing the highest bending strength when sintered at 1700 degrees C. Additionally, thermal expansion coefficient results varied based on zirconia content.