Modeling the aging kinetics of zirconia ceramics

Yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (3Y-TZP) with different microstructures were elaborated. The isothermal tetragonal to monoclinic transformation was investigated at 134 °C in steam by X-ray diffraction, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and optical interferometry. The aging kinetics were analyzed in terms of nucleation and growth, using the Mehl–Avrami–Johnson (MAJ) formalism. Numerical simulation of the aging of zirconia surfaces was also conducted to better fit the aging kinetics. The simulation shows that the exponent of the MAJ laws is controlled not only by the nucleation and growth mechanisms, but also—and mainly—by their respective kinetic parameters. Measurements of nucleation and growth rates at the surface, at the beginning of aging, and the use of numerical simulation allow the accurate prediction of aging kinetics.