Percolative Mechanism of Aging in Zirconia‐Containing Ceramics for Medical Applications

Abstract

For biomedical applications, zirconia‐toughened alumina ceramics (see Figure) would be very appropriate materials, provided that the zirconia content is kept below the percolation threshold (upper limit of 16 vol.‐% 3Y‐TZP inside an alumina matrix). That the concept of a percolation threshold is relevant when talking about aging degradation, is demonstrated by comparing specular IR reflectance measurements with aging experiments.