Studies of Transformation-Toughened Zirconium Dioxide- Based Ceramics

本研究是对氧化锆合金增韧机理研究的延续。这项工作将集中在两种技术上重要的氧化镁和铈稳定剂体系上，并将扩展先前的微分析工作，主要是通过透射电子显微镜，包括力学表征和裂纹扩展的原位研究。该研究将解决这些材料中r曲线行为的非常重要的问题，这需要机械测试和微分析程序之间的密切合作。从技术的角度来看，这里研究的材料和评估的增韧机制非常重要，因为氧化锆合金及其衍生物将在各种产品中得到越来越多的应用。以前这些材料的发展在本质上很大程度上是经验的，对这些系统中增韧机制的更好的科学理解的发展将极大地有助于未来的发展和应用。这些材料的增韧机制相当复杂，要了解这些机制的细节，需要对材料及其过程进行仔细而详细的科学分析。

This research deals with the continuation of previous studies on the toughening mechanisms in zirconia alloys. The work will focus on two technically important systems with magnesia and ceria stabilizers, and will extend the previous microanalytical efforts, primarily via transmission electron microscopy, to include mechanical characterization and in situ studies of crack propagation. The study will address the very important question of the R-curve behavior in these materials, which requires a close collaboration between mechanical testing and microanalytical procedures. The materials being investigated here, and the toughening mechanisms being evaluated are extremely important from a technological standpoint, as the zirconia alloys and derivatives will have increasing number of applications in various products. Previous development of these materials has been largely empirical in nature, and development of a better scientific understanding of the toughening mechanisms in these systems would greatly aid future development and applications. The mechanisms of toughening in these materials are quite complex, and understanding the details of these mechanisms requires careful and detailed scientific analysis of the materials and the processes occurring therein.