Characterization of (Nd,Y)-TZP ceramics prepared by a colloidal suspension coating technique

A stabiliser coating technique was applied to prepare mixed Nd2O3 + Y2O3 coated ZrO2 nanopowder from an alcohol/water based suspension of neodymium nitrate, yttrium nitrate and monoclinic zirconia nanopowder. The mixed stabiliser starting powders could be fully densified into (Nd,Y)-TZP ceramics by pressureless sintering in air at 1450 °C. The obtained ceramics revealed an excellent fracture toughness up to 12.8 MPa m1/2 in combination with a hardness of 11 GPa, a toughness that is comparable to that of the traditional 12 mol CeO2-stabilised TZP but with higher hardness.