Fabrication and properties of pink 3 mol% yttria‐stabilized zirconia ceramics with high toughness

To broaden the applications of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) in mobile phone back panels and high-end decorative materials, the 3 mol% YSZ (3YSZ) ceramics doped with erbium oxide (Er2O3) as colorant were successfully sintered at 1250 and 1350°C in air. The influences of Er2O3-doping concentration and sintering temperature on the phase, microstructure, color, and mechanical properties of the pink Er2O3-3YSZ ceramics were investigated. As the Er2O3 concentration increased, the redness value a* gradually increased, while the yellowness value b* and the lightness value L* gradually decreased. The highest value a* and b* of Er2O3-3YSZ ceramics reached absolute values of 15.2 and 4.5, respectively. The effect of Er2O3 concentration is also depicted in detail, which also affects the mechanical properties including hardness and fracture toughness of the ceramics. The maximum hardness and fracture toughness of Er2O3-3YSZ ceramics reached 13.9 ± 0.3 GPa and 6.21 ± 0.20 MPa·m1/2, respectively. The hardness of the ceramics exceeds 12.5 GPa, which is the required market index for further practical application. This work provides a method for preparing 3YSZ ceramics with excellent mechanical properties and bright pink color, which has the potential to be used in the fields of advanced and superior electronics in particular.