Zirconia/carbon nanofiber composite

The effect of the addition of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) on the microstructure, fracture/mechanical and electrical properties of the CNF/zirconia composite has been investigated. The microstructure of both ZrO2 and ZrO2–CNF composites consists of a very low grain sized matrix (approximately 160 nm) with relatively well dispersed carbon nanofibers in the composite. The mechanical properties slightly decreased after the addition of CNFs to the ZrO2 but the electrical resistivity decreased significantly, exhibiting approximately 0.1 Ω cm.