Al2O3/ZrO2 (Y2O3) self-growing composites prepared by combustion synthesis under high gravity

Al2O3/ZrO2 (Y2O3) plates were prepared by combustion synthesis under high gravity (>200g) and the ceramics were composed of randomly orientated colonies containing a triangular dispersion of orderly nano-submicrometer t-ZrO2 fibers, surrounded by inter-colony regions containing micrometer size t-ZrO2 spherical grains. The high strength (close to 1.6 GPa) of the ceramics was attributed to small-size defect and high fracture toughness (close to 15.0 MPa m1/2) dependent on an intensive coupled toughening mechanism.