Role of Zener's pinning effect on the grain growth in Al2O3-ZrO2

Abstract

Grain growth behavior in Al2O3-ZrO2(2.5 mol% Y2O3) during high-temperature annealing was examined. In alumina-rich alloys, the growth of coarse alumina grains was effectively retarded by fine zirconia grains. The retarding effect could satisfactorily be explained by the prediction of Zener's pinning effect. In zirconia-rich alloys, the size of alumina grains was almost the same as that of zirconia grains, and they influenced little growth of zirconia grains. The results on zirconia-rich alloys were related to the sluggish grain growth of zirconia containing 2.5 mol% Y2O3.