Abstract:
The objectives of this research are to study the effect of microwave sintering comparing with conventional sintering and the effect of zirconia addition on microstructure and optical transmittance of transparent Al O ceramic. The experiment was concentrated on increasing the fransmittance of AL O ceramic by reducing grain size of AL O to submicron level. AI O powder was used as raw material. Green samples were prepared by biaxial hydraulic pressing with 20 MPa and followed by Cold Isostatic Press (CIP) of 200 MPa. Sintering was performed at temperatures ranging from 1300 to 1500 degree Celsius for 2 hr followed by Hot Isostatic Press (HIP) at temperatures ranging from 1250 to 1300 degree Celsius for 0.5, 1 and 2 hr with pressure of 150 MPa under Ar atmosphere. Microwave sintering resulted in the fast processing time and accelerated densification to sinter AL O ceramic, but did not show the higher density than that of conventional sintering. The transmittance of microwave sintered specimens was lower than that of conventional one because of the larger grain size distribution. The optimum HIP condition selected from the results was 1300 degree Celsius for 0.5 hr with a hiating rate of 10 degree Celsius/min. Zero, 0.2, and 0.4 wt% of ZrO were added to AL O powder together with 0.03 wt% of MgO. ZrO addition inhibited grain growth of AI O grain. However, it also disturbed densification. The sintering temperature of AI O with ZrO to attain the same high density shifted to higher temperature than AI O with no ZrO composition. Then the grain size of the full density specimen with ZrO was a little larger than that without ZrO. As a result, better optical transmittance was not afftained from the composition with ZrO.