Application of mechanical activation for the synthesis of Y2Zr2O7 by the solid-phase method

The effect of mechanical activation on the synthesis of yttrium zirconate Y2Zr2O7 by solid-phase method was studied. Mechanical activation of a stoichiometric mixture of zirconium and yttrium oxides was carried out in AGO–2 centrifugal planetary mill at a centrifugal factor of 40 g for 10 min. Using X-ray phase analysis and complex thermal analysis, the processes occurring during the calcination of the initial and mechanically activated mixture of oxides were investigated. The calculation of the sizes of Y2Zr2O7 crystallites, carried out according to the Scherrer formula, showed that after annealing the mechanically activated mixture of ZrO2 and Y2O3 in the temperature range of 1100–1200 °C for 3 h, nanocrystalline yttrium zirconate was formed.