Structural, thermal and mechanical properties of transparent Yb:(Y0.97Zr0.03)2O3 ceramic

Yb doped (Y0.97Zr0.03)2O3 transparent ceramics were fabricated by solid state reaction and vacuum sintering. The microstructure, thermal and mechanical properties of Y2O3 ceramic, as well as the effect of Yb doping concentration on these properties were investigated in detail. The lattice parameter and unit cell volume decrease with the increasing of Yb content, whereas thermal expansive coefficient increases. With Yb content increasing from 0 to 8 at.%, the mean grain size increases from 15.82 μm to 26.54 μm, and the thermal conductivity at room temperature (RT) decreases from 11.97 to 6.39 W/m/K. The microhardness decreases with Yb content, and the microhardness and fracture toughness of (Y0.97Zr0.03)2O3 transparent ceramic is 11.11 GPa and 1.29 MPa m1/2, respectively.