Yttria Tetragonal Zirconia Biomaterials: Kinetic Investigation

The low temperature aging behavior of polycrystalline tetragonal zirconia was investigated to explore the effects on phase transformation occurring during the process. XRD analysis was conducted for the phase identification and the tetragonal to monoclinic phase transformation was determined. The aging of tetragonal zirconia polycrystals doped with 3 mol% Y2O3 triggers tetragonal to monoclinic phase transformation on the surface of the specimen only, while the penetration inside the bulk of the specimen is very limited. A slight decrease in the mechanical properties was also observed after aging for 40 h. The transformation kinetics show a nucleation and growth mechanism on the specimen surface to be dominant in the low temperature aging in water environment. © 2011 The Chinese Society for Metals.