ABSTRACT
Results of sinter forging tests are presented conducted on 2.6Y-TZP powder preforms under constant load at 1100°C. The investigated powder batch has been prepared by a gel precipitation technique, using metal chlorides as precursor chemicals. The dependence of both creep and densification on the applied stress (28 - 84 MPa) has been analyzed by means of interrupted tests. At 93% relative density grain sizes equal to 0.1 μm have been obtained. The value (2.5) of the creep stress exponent found for the sinter forging material is in good agreement with the one determined from creep tests on dense samples of identical composition. The creep behaviour of both porous and dense Y-TZP has been interpreted as interface reaction controlled.
