Enhanced properties of nanostructured ZrO2–graphene composites rapidly sintered via high-frequency induction heating

ZrO2 ceramics possess excellent properties, including high biocompatibility, low density, and good corrosion resistance, and they are commonly used in hip and knee joint replacements. However these materials have a low fracture toughness, which limits their applicability to a wider range of uses. One of the most common techniques used to improve the mechanical properties has been to add a reinforcing agent to the ZrO2 ceramic in order to form nanostructured composite materials. High-frequency induction-heated sintering (HFIHS), for example, can be used to introduce graphene as a reinforcing agent in order to create composite ZrO2 ceramics. In this study, high-density ZrO2–graphene composites were obtained via HFIHS for 2 min at a pressure of 80 MPa. The rapid consolidation retained the nano-scale structure of the ceramic by inhibiting grain growth. The ZrO2-graphene composite presented improved fracture toughness and electrical conductivity while significantly reducing the grain size.