Influence of sintering temperature on structural and optical properties of Y2O3–MgO composite SPS ceramics

Abstract The paper studies infrared-transparent 50:50 vol.% Y2O3–MgO finegrained composite ceramics produced via glycine-nitrate process and spark plasma sintering (SPS). Effect of SPS temperature (T=1100, 1200, 1250 and 1300°С) on consolidation processes of Y2O3–MgO nanopowders and on ceramics properties has been investigated. Morphology, structural-phase state, density, Vickers microhardness and infrared transmittance of Y2O3–MgO nanocomposites have been studied. Transmittance has been found to increase with the SPS temperature reaching 71%@6000 nm wavelength at T=1300°C. Maximal Vickers hardness of 10.9 GPa has been achieved at T=1200°C. The correlation between processing conditions of ceramics and indicated characteristics was investigated.