Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2011
Colloidal interactions in a heteroparticulate mixture of zirconia and alumina in water were studied for use in a transformation toughened alumina composite. The microelectrophoresis technique was used to measure the mobility of three zirconia powders and an alumina powder. The electro-phoretic mobility and particle size data were used to calculate total potential energy curves. The maximum height of the total potential energy barrier was used to predict the stability of a zirconia/alumina mixture. Theoretical predictions were compared to experimental results obtained from sedimentation and rheology measurements carried out as a function of pH of the dispersion. For a 5 v/o aqueous zirconia/alumina system stable dispersions were made at pH 3 and pH 5.