Electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) studies of an yttria stabilized TZP ceramic

Electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) was used to examine the distribution of zirconia polymorphs within a sintered 3Y–TZP ceramic prepared by co-milling via detailed analysis of the energy-loss near-edge structure (ELNES) at the oxygen K-edge. Measurement of the peak positions and the overall shape of the fine structure in the oxygen K ELNES clearly facilitates the differentiation between the cubic, tetragonal and monoclinic zirconia phases within the bulk material. Examination of t–ZrO2:t–ZrO2 grain–boundary interfaces revealed significant co-segregation of the cation dopants Al3+ and Y3+. However, the ELNES at the oxygen K-edge exhibited characteristics which suggest that the oxygen coordination at the boundary interface is similar to that of the bulk tetragonal grains for the volume sampled by the electron beam.