ZRO2-AL2O3 composite ceramic material and production method thereof

摘要

A ZrO2-Al2O3 composite ceramic material having high mechanical strength and toughness as well as excellent wear resistance and hardness is provided. This ceramic material includes a first phase of ZrO2 grains containing 10 to 12 mol % of CeO2 as a stabilizer and having an average grain size of 0.1 mum to 1 mum, and a second phase of Al2O3 grains having an average grain size of 0.1 to 0.5 mum. The ceramic material has a mutual nano-composite structure formed under a condition that a content of the second phase in the ceramic material is within a range of 20 to 60 vol % such that the Al2O3 grains are dispersed within said ZrO2 grains at a first dispersion ratio of 2% or more, and preferably 4% or more, which is defined as a ratio of the number of the Al2O3 grains dispersed within the ZrO2 grains relative to the number of the entire Al2O3 grains dispersed in the ceramic material, and the ZrO2 grains are dispersed within the Al2O3 grains at a second dispersion ratio of 1% or more, which is defined as a ratio of the number of the ZrO2 grains dispersed within the Al2O3 grains relative to the number of the entire ZrO2 grains dispersed in the ceramic material.