Effect of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes on Improvement of Fracture Toughness of Spark-Plasma-Sintered Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Nanocomposites

Highly dense yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) nano-ceramics reinforced with TC-CVD-synthesized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were fabricated using spark plasma sintering at a temperature of 1350 degrees C, the heating rate of 100 degrees C/min and pressure of 50MPa with a dwell time of 10 minutes. The identical parameters were utilized for fabricating composites with a varying weight ratio of YSZ and MWNCTs. The samples were characterized for their phase transformation, microstructure and elemental composition using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The physical and mechanical properties such as density, porosity, hardness, fracture toughness and wear were also investigated. The increase in the MWCNTs concentration has resulted in the deterioration of the hardness due to CNT agglomerations. The wear resistance of the composites revealed MWNCTs enhanced wear resistance of YSZ nanocomposite by undergoing MWNCTs pull-out and crack branching mechanisms. Further indentation method and single-beam V-notch beam (SEVNB) methods were utilized to study the effect of MWCNTs on the fracture toughness of the nanocomposites. The fracture toughness of YC1 (6.58 +/- 0.3 MPa m(1/2)) was 21% higher than the YSZ (5.21 +/- 0.2 MPa m(1/2)) due to the toughening mechanisms attributable to crack deflection, branching and bridging of MWCNTs.

Automated summary

In this study, highly dense yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) nano-ceramics reinforced with TC-CVD-synthesized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were fabricated using spark plasma sintering. The physical and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated, revealing that the increase in MWCNTs concentration led to a decrease in hardness but an improvement in wear resistance and fracture toughness. The study utilized X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy for characterization, and found that toughening mechanisms such as crack deflection, branching, and bridging of MWCNTs contributed to the enhanced fracture toughness of the nanocomposites.