Zirconia - stabilized with Yttria Ceramic - Material Information

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is a high-performance ceramic material that combines excellent mechanical strength, ionic conductivity, and thermal stability. By stabilizing zirconia (ZrO?) with yttria (Y?O?), the normally brittle ceramic achieves enhanced fracture toughness and phase stability, making it indispensable in structural, electronic, and energy applications such as fuel cells, oxygen sensors, and thermal barrier coatings.

Material Overview

YSZ typically consists of 3–8 mol% Y?O? dispersed in a zirconia matrix, forming a stable cubic or tetragonal structure. The dopant ions replace zirconium atoms, generating oxygen vacancies that enable high ionic conductivity. Mechanical properties depend strongly on yttria content: 7 mol% Y?O? yields an optimal combination of strength (~1200 MPa) and toughness due to a fine-grained microstructure composed of tetragonal and monoclinic phases (Kulyk et al., 2022). Thermal conductivity is relatively low (~2.0–2.5 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹), providing excellent insulation performance in high-temperature systems. The ionic conductivity of 8 mol% YSZ peaks around 0.1 S·cm?¹ at 1000 °C, which is why this composition dominates in solid oxide fuel cell electrolytes (Gibson et al., 1998). Computational analyses show that Y?O? additions reduce the ideal strength of cubic zirconia along the [100] axis from 84 GPa to ~29 GPa, as oxygen vacancies relax lattice strain, thereby improving toughness (Cousland et al., 2018).

Applications and Advantages

Yttria-stabilized zirconia is widely used across aerospace, energy, and biomedical industries. Its exceptional thermal shock resistance and low conductivity make it the preferred material for turbine coatings and thermal barrier layers. In energy systems, 8YSZ is the industry standard electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), while lower-yttria grades (3YSZ–5YSZ) are used in structural ceramics, cutting tools, and wear-resistant components. Additionally, its chemical inertness and biocompatibility enable use in dental implants and orthopedic devices. Recent developments in colored YSZ ceramics doped with Fe?O? have introduced design versatility for optical and decorative applications without compromising hardness or strength (Holz, 2017).

Goodfellow Availability

Goodfellow supplies high-purity yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramics and powders for research and advanced engineering use. Custom compositions, grain sizes, and forms can be provided to match specific performance requirements. Explore zirconia ceramics and related materials through the Goodfellow product finder.

References

• Kulyk, V., Duriagina, Z., Kostryzhev, A., Vasyliv, B. D., Vavrukh, V. I., & Marenych, O. (2022). The effect of yttria content on microstructure, strength, and fracture behavior of yttria-stabilized zirconia. Materials, 15(15), 5212. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15155212
• Holz, L. I. V. (2017). Yttria-stabilized zirconia with beige colour. Master’s dissertation, University of Aveiro.
• Gibson, I. R., Dransfield, G. P., & Irvine, J. T. S. (1998). Influence of yttria concentration upon electrical properties and susceptibility to ageing of yttria-stabilised zirconias. Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 18(6), 661–669. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0955-2219(97)00173-8
• Yang, F. (2011). Electrical and thermal properties of yttria-stabilised zirconia (YSZ)-based ceramic materials. University of Leeds.
• Cousland, G. P., Cui, X., Smith, A. E., Stampfl, A. P. J., & Stampfl, C. (2018). Mechanical properties of zirconia, doped and undoped yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia from first principles. Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, 121, 10–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpcs.2018.06.003