ABSTRACT
Mg-PSZ may suffer some degradation of properties when subjected to high pressure aqueous environments for prolonged periods of time. The effect is far less pronounced and more difficult to study than the degradation of Y-TZP ceramics under similar conditions. In order to quantify this phenomenon and to go some way to predicting lifetimes of parts used in industrial applications, a series of experiments using autoclaves has been designed. The extent of corrosion was found to be very dependent on the aging condition of the Mg-PSZ with an inverse correlation existing between the stability of tetragonal particles and the susceptibility to attack. Temperatures >250°C are required before significant corrosion takes place in the most stable materials and grain boundaries play a pivotal role in the corrosion process.
