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Laser-Fused Transparent Microspheres with the Eutectic Composition Al₂O₃-Y₂O₃-ZrO₂ (AYZ)

C. Oelgardt, J. Günster, J. G. Heinrich

Journal of Ceramic Science and Technology, Vol. 2, No. 2 (2011), pp. 103-110

DOI: 10.4416/JCST2011-00010

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Abstract

Transparent microspheres with the eutectic composition 65 Al2O3-16 Y2O3-19 ZrO2 (mol%) have been produced by laser fusing with a CO2 laser. The influence of the starting material – not pre-calcined and pre-calcined – as well as the laser power on the resulting microspheres – was investigated. After fabrication, the microspheres were analyzed by means of XRD to quantify the amorphous content of the spheres as well as to identify the residual crystalline phases, with a laser granulometer to measure the particle sizes of the starting material and the resulting microspheres, with DSC to characterize the glass transition temperature and crystallization behavior, and with SEM to investigate the microstructure of the microspheres. The laser-treated materials consist of transparent and opaque beads as well as sintered particles. The amorphous amount in the samples was detected to be ∼ 85 %. Based on these results transparent beads were collected and annealed over a range of temperatures to analyze the crystallization behavior.

Keywords

Eutectic ceramics, Al2O3-Y2O3-ZrO2, laser processing, crystallization behavior, microstructure

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