Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ)

Ceramic with high fracture toughness and thermal barrier properties.

Core Principles & Analysis

• About 3-8 mol% yttria retains the tetragonal phase, whose stress-induced transformation squeezes cracks shut — the 'ceramic steel' toughening reported by Garvie in Nature in 1975.
• Plasma-sprayed YSZ thermal-barrier coatings let jet turbine blades operate in gas hotter than the melting point of their superalloy substrate.
• Because it conducts oxygen ions at high temperature, YSZ is the electrolyte in automotive lambda oxygen sensors and solid oxide fuel cells.

Specifications & Metrics

• DENSITY: 6.05 g/cm³
• YIELD STRENGTH: 2000 MPa (Comp)
• HARDNESS: 1200 HV