Superplastic characteristics of high purity yttria-stabilized zirconia polycrystals

The mechanical characteristics of superplastic yttria-stabilized zirconia polycrystals have been analyzed as a function of stress, temperature and grain size. The evolution of the stress exponent n with stress found in high purity materials is similar to that observed in superplastic metals. True creep parameters can be ascribed to the deformation mechanism at high stresses. By contrast, the creep parameters exhibit a continuous evolution with stress, temperature and grain size at low stresses. The threshold stress formalism used in conventional and high strain rate superplastic metals accounts for the mechanical characteristics observed in fine-grained zirconia polycrystals.