Liquid-phase redistribution during sintering of 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia

The distribution of the intergranular liquid phase during the sintering of 8 mol% Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 containing 0.5 mol% of SiO2 and Al2O3 was investigated using spatially resolved impedance spectroscopy. The variation in the grain-boundary resistivity as a function of the distance from the specimen surface indicated that the liquid phase coagulates at the specimen center in the initial stages of sintering, and spreads outward upon further sintering. The liquid redistribution was also examined by transmission electron microscopy.