Zirconia Y-TZP · print state · default condition
Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered
Properties of the Sintered condition, compared with the other Zirconia Y-TZP tempers.
Pick the pressureless-sintered condition as the default for most wear, structural and insulating parts: 450 MPa strength at the lowest cost, with more residual porosity than HIPed material.
What is Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered?
Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered is Zirconia Y-TZP in the Sintered condition — pick the pressureless-sintered condition as the default for most wear, structural and insulating parts: 450 MPa strength at the lowest cost, with more residual porosity than HIPed material. Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered has a tensile strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi), stronger than 77% of ceramic grades. Elongation at break is 0% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi). Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered has a density of 6.05 g/cm³ (0.219 lb/in³), heavier than 67% of ceramic grades. It melts at 2,700°C (4,892 °F).
Advantages
- Good corrosion resistance — 95/100, better than 97% of ceramic grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 95/100, better than 95% of ceramic grades
- Tough — resists crack growth — 9 MPa·√m (8.19 ksi·√in), better than 82% of ceramic grades
Limitations
- Poor heat conductor — 2.5 W/m·K (1.44 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 83% of ceramic grades
Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered properties
Typical room-temperature values for Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered — 14 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every Zirconia Y-TZP temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the ceramic grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical4
Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered has a density of 6.05 g/cm³ (0.219 lb/in³), heavier than 67% of ceramic grades. It melts at 2,700°C (4,892 °F).
Mechanical12
Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered has a tensile strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi), stronger than 77% of ceramic grades. Elongation at break is 0% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal5
Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered is rated for continuous service to 1,000°C (1,832 °F). It conducts heat at 2.5 W/m·K (1.44 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 83% of ceramic grades. Thermal expansion is 10.3 µm/m·K (5.72 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 12 kV/mm (304.8 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁰ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is excellent (95/100), better than 97% of ceramic grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered takes about 90 MJ of energy and emits 6 kg of CO₂ — less than 61% of ceramic grades. Typical recycled content is 1%.
Manufacturability3
Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered's machinability is not recommended (4/100, worse than 84% of ceramic grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other Zirconia Y-TZP tempers and conditions
Zirconia Y-TZP is also supplied in 1 other condition. The full side-by-side table is on the Zirconia Y-TZP overview.
- SinteredDefaultPick the pressureless-sintered condition as the default for most wear, structural and insulating parts: 450 MPa strength at the lowest cost, with more residual porosity than HIPed material.450 MPa tensile
- HIPedChoose sintering followed by hot isostatic pressing when strength must reach 550 MPa with minimum defects and the best polished surface, as in femoral heads, sealing faces and fiber-optic ferrules.550 MPa tensile
Working with Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered
Is Zirconia Y-TZP easy to machine?
After sintering, only diamond wheels, ultrasonic or laser processing apply (machinability score 4). Soft-machine in the green or bisque (white) state with carbide tooling wherever possible and allow about 20–25 % sintering shrinkage.
Can Zirconia Y-TZP be welded?
Not weldable. Attach to metal by active-metal brazing (Ti or Ag-Cu-Ti), Mo-Mn metallization followed by brazing, or by adhesive bonding and interference fits.
Can Zirconia Y-TZP be formed, bent or molded?
Formed by dry or isostatic pressing, slip casting, tape casting, ceramic injection moulding (CIM) or photopolymer 3D printing, then pressureless sintering at 1350–1550 °C with optional HIP densification.
What surface finishes work on Zirconia Y-TZP?
Diamond grinding and polishing reach a mirror finish below 0.02 µm Ra. Avoid grinding heat and residual tensile stress; a low-temperature anneal after grinding removes surface monoclinic phase and restores strength.
Zirconia Y-TZP chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Y2O3≈3 mol% stabilizer | 4.5 – 6 | 5.2 |
| Al2O3sintering aid / anti-ageing addition | 0 – 0.5 | 0.25 |
| HfO2natural companion of zircon ore, usually counted as ZrO2 | 1 – 3 | 2 |
| SiO2 | 0 – 0.05 | 0.01 |
| Fe2O3 | 0 – 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Na2O | 0 – 0.05 | 0.02 |
| ZrO2balance (includes HfO2) | balance | — |
Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered — frequently asked
What is Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered used for?
Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered is typically used for cutting and shearing blades, pump plungers and valve components, fibre-optic ferrules, wire drawing dies, ball valve balls and dental crowns and restorations. In short: toughest engineering ceramic.
What is the tensile strength of Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered?
Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered has a typical tensile strength of 450 MPa (65.3 ksi) — stronger than 77% of ceramic grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 2 listed tempers.
Is Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (4/100, worse than 84% of ceramic grades). After sintering, only diamond wheels, ultrasonic or laser processing apply (machinability score 4). Soft-machine in the green or bisque (white) state with carbide tooling wherever possible and allow about 20–25 % sintering shrinkage.
Can Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered be welded?
Not weldable. Attach to metal by active-metal brazing (Ti or Ag-Cu-Ti), Mo-Mn metallization followed by brazing, or by adhesive bonding and interference fits.
What surface finishes work on Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered?
Diamond grinding and polishing reach a mirror finish below 0.02 µm Ra. Avoid grinding heat and residual tensile stress; a low-temperature anneal after grinding removes surface monoclinic phase and restores strength.
Can Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered be formed, bent or molded?
Formed by dry or isostatic pressing, slip casting, tape casting, ceramic injection moulding (CIM) or photopolymer 3D printing, then pressureless sintering at 1350–1550 °C with optional HIP densification.
What is the maximum service temperature of Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered?
Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered is rated for continuous use to about 1,000°C (1,832 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered?
Yes — Zirconia Y-TZP Sintered is available for CNC machining with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ASM Engineered Materials Handbook, Vol. 4: Ceramics and Glasses — ASM International (1991)
- CoorsTek YTZP / Zirconia Material Properties — CoorsTek (2023)
- Kyocera Fine Ceramics — Zirconia (Z-201N/Z-701) — Kyocera (2022)
- Tosoh Zirconia Powder TZ-3Y Series Technical Bulletin — Tosoh Corporation (2021)
- ISO 13356 — Implants for surgery: Ceramic materials based on yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia (Y-TZP) — ISO (2015)
- ASTM C1161 — Flexural Strength of Advanced Ceramics at Ambient Temperature — ASTM (2018)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.