Atomic force microscopy study of the surface degradation mechanisms of zirconia based ceramics

TL;DR

This study uses atomic force microscopy to analyze surface degradation mechanisms in zirconia ceramics, providing new insights into phase transformation and long-term durability.

Contribution

It offers new evidence supporting the martensitic nature of the tetragonal to monoclinic transformation in zirconia, enhancing understanding of degradation processes.

Findings

AFM characterizes crack propagation and grain pull-out.

Provides precise quantification of phase transformation.

Supports martensitic nature of t-m transformation.

Abstract

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) can be used to characterise several aspects of the surface degradation and reinforcement mechanisms of zirconia based ceramics, such as crack propagation, martensitic relief formation, grains pull-out and transformation toughening. AFM can also be used to quantify precisely the transformation and provide reliable parameters for long term degradation prediction. In particular, the tetragonal to monoclinic (t-m) phase transformation of zirconia has been the object of extensive investigations of the last twenty years, and is now recognised as being of martensitic nature. New strong evidences supporting the martensitic nature of the transformation are reported here. These observations, considering their scale and precision, are a new step toward the understanding of the t-m phase transformation of zirconia and related degradation mechanisms.