Microstructure and mechanical properties of porous yttria stabilized zirconia ceramic using poly methyl methacrylate powder

Porous t-ZrO2 ceramic was fabricated by pressureless sintering, using commercial t-ZrO2 and different volume percentages of poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) powders (20–80%). The spherical pores ranged from about 120 to 170 μm in diameter. By increasing the PMMA content, the number of pores, material properties and pore morphology were changed dramatically. The values of relative density, elastic modulus, bending strength and hardness of the 60 vol.% PMMA content sample, sintered at 1550 °C, were about 43%, 40 GPa, 170 MPa and 248 Hv, respectively.