Room temperature aging of Laminate Composites of Alumina/3-mol%-Yttria-Stabilized Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystals

The stresses of laminate structures obtained by joining single layers of pure alumina (A), pure yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia, 3Y-TZP (Z), and an intimate mixture of alumina and zirconia (AZ) have been determined by fluorescence (in alumina) and Raman (in zirconia) piezospectroscopy. Three symmetrical stacking sequences were examined, namely, A/Z/A, A/AZ/A, and AZ/Z/AZ, with the aim of designing structures where the higher coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of zirconia could be used to induce compressive stress in the external layers (and ensuing tensile stress in the central layer). Two experimental sessions, 6 years apart, were conducted on the same samples, also taking care to record the spectra from the same locations; during the time elapsed between the two sessions, the samples were kept at room temperature and humidity. The stress values in alumina obtained during the more recent session were markedly different from those observed in the first session.