Improvement of Grain-Boundary Conduction in 15 mol % Calcia-Stabilized Zirconia by Postsintering Heat-Treatment

Abstract

The grain-boundary conductivity of a 15 mol % calcia-stabilized zirconia specimen was increased about seven times by postsintering heat-treatment at 1300°C for 10 h. From the change in the crystallinity, morphology, and composition of the intergranular phase by heat-treatment, the de-wetting behavior of the intergranular phase due to crystallization was suggested to decrease the current constriction near the grain boundary. The postsintering heat-treatment was also effective at the high sintering temperature where adding could not scavenge the resistive intergranular phase. © 2003 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.