Patent · US Expired

Hydrothermal comminution or zirconia or hafnia

US4771950A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
2References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 6, 1987
Grant dateSep 20, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 6, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC04B35/486
  • WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Zirconia ceramics containing substantial amounts of metastable tetragonal phase crystallites, so that they are tougher than most other ceramics, can be completely comminuted to powders, without applying any mechanical force, by treatment with water or steam at temperatures well above room temperature. This type of comminution is particularly useful for small, often hollow, spheres produced by rapidly solidifying melts of zirconia and a stabilizing oxide such as yttria. These spheres can be almost completely comminuted to a size suitable for wet vibratory milling by treatment for twenty-four hours at 250 C under sufficient steam pressure to maintain some liquid water in equilibrium.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.