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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
Transformation toughened zirconia (TTZ) is a material being considered for use in advanced heat engines. However, at elevated temperatures TTZ materials undergo a phase transformation fron tetragonal to the monoclinic with an associated volume increase of approximately 5%.This transformation results in a loss of strength and fracture toughness. Six commercially available Japanese TTZ materials and one experimental domestic grade were examined for the extent and effect of this phasetransformation after exposure to elevated temperatures (1000 to 1200°C) for times of 100 and 500 hours. Tests completed to date show that all the TTZ materials examined transform and lose strength, but to various degrees. Strength losses after heat treatment at 1000°C for 100 and 500 hours, ranged from a high of 60% to as little as 7%. Additional heattreatments of 500 hours at 1100 and 1200°C were carried out on TTZ's whichhad strength losses of 15% or less after exposure to 1000°C.
Although the major thrust of this program is to examine the effects of high temperatures on TTZ materials, a preliminary examination of the effects of low temperatures on the properties is also being done. A small number of specimens are undergoing treatments at 200°C and ∼.8 MPa water vapor pressure for 50 hours. Early indications are that strength greatly reduced after this treatment.