The structure and phase composition of stabilized zirconia-based nanosystems exposed to shock-wave treatment

The special features of the structure and phase composition of nanocrystalline zirconia-based powders subjected to shock-wave treatment are studied. The investigations show that zirconia with small amounts of yttria and/or alumina is in nanocrystalline and quasi-amorphous states representing a nonequilibrium solid solution of ZrO2 (Y, Al) and that an increase in the monoclinic phase abundance is associated with a reduction in the critical size of tetragonal crystallites due to an accumulation of lattice microdistortions. The monoclinic phase in powders with yttria and alumina additions is not formed even with shock compression at pressures up to 20 GPa. This is attributed to the fact that the resultant lattice microdistortion level is inadequate to destabilize the nanocrystalline tetragonal phase. Relaxation of microdistortions on annealing causes the critical size of tetragonal crystallites to increase. As this takes place, the monoclinic phase is converted into the tetragonal one.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 9, pp. 61–70, September, 2004.