Mechanical alloying of platinum with 5% ZrO2 nanoparticles for glass making tools

Synthesis and characterization of mechanically alloyed Pt-5%ZrO2 (volume fraction) for structural components in the glass industry were described. Zirconia (ZrO2) nanoparticles (<100 nm) were produced by the electrical explosion of zirconium (Zr) wires, and blended with platinum (Pt) powders (<44 μm) for 2-72 h in ambient atmosphere. The Pt particle size followed the typical decreasing trend of the normal ball milling process up to 48 h, but particle agglomeration was observed at 72 h. The grain size evolution was similar to that of the particle size, dropping down to around 50 nm at 48 h. The root mean square strain of the Pt crystallites showed the opposite behavior, maximizing at 48 h with a subsequent relaxation process. For the 48 h ball milled powders, spark plasma sintering was carried out to form a bulk disk. The measured mass loss of the sintered bulk sample shows a decent thermal stability despite its relatively low density.