Grain-growth kinetics in a nanocrystalline 2 yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals ceramic with a silica-based glassy phase

Grain-growth kinetics of a nanocrystalline 2 yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals ceramic containing a silica-based glassy phase was determined at 1200 to 1600 °C. At short durations below 1300 °C, the slow grain growth was associated with zirconia dissolution for composition equilibration. The significant increase in the grain size started only after 10 h at 1400 °C or at shorter durations at higher temperatures. Clusters of the cubic grains formed at the two-phase field confirm the inhibited tetragonal grain growth to be independent of the cubic grains. The microstructure evolution during the tetragonal grain growth was interpreted in terms of grain coalescence. Grain growth was initiated by contact flattening and followed by grain-boundary diffusion through the grain-boundary glassy phase. Some aspects of cation diffusion within the viscous glass were also discussed.