On the fabrication of functional graded 3Y-PSZ/316L materials by SPS: Process optimization and characterization of the obtained products

Dense and crack free six-layered functional graded materials were successfully produced by Spark Plasma Sintering by combining 3 mol% Y2O3-partially stabilized ZrO2 (3Y-PSZ) and 316L stainless steel. All the sintered products consisted of a steel free layer on one side and a cermet composite containing 50 vol% of both constituents on the opposite side. Conversely, the stainless steel concentration in the interlayers was progressively changed following diverse spatial profiles. It was found that the temperature interval from 1080 to 1180 °C required for the full consolidation from the 50 vol% composite layer to the 3Y-PSZ one, respectively, can be reached when adopting a specific die configuration where the cross section was varied from 30 to 28 mm, respectively. Correspondingly, the densification level of each layer, as well as the related hardness and fracture toughness properties, were highly enhanced with respect to the standard cylindrical die. In addition, a significant improvement of the material toughness was obtained when the material concentration exponent was decreased from 2 to 1, whereas this effect tends to vanish when such parameter was further reduced to 0.5.