Sintering Temperature Dependence of the Flexibility of ZrO2-Modified Aluminum Titanate Flexible Ceramics

ZrO 2 -modified aluminum titanate (Al 2 TiO 5 , AT) flexible ceramics are prepared by solid-state reaction method. The influence of sintering temperature and holding time on the microstructure and mechanical properties is investigated. Temperature-dependence behavior of the flexibility is observed. It is believed that temperature-dependence behavior of AT grain aspect ratio should take responsibility. However, average value of the aspect ratio remains unchanged regardless of holding time. Reasons are as follows: the formed zirconium titanate (ZrTiO 4 , ZT) grains could pin in AT grain boundaries, and internal stress generates between AT/ZT boundaries during grain growth process, thus inhibiting AT grain growth and reducing its growth rate, leading to AT grain refinement and increase of its aspect ratio. But, the increase of holding time reduces the inhibition effect and the increase of temperature strengthens the effect, resulting in rapid AT grain growth, especially its width. As a result, though the length and width of AT grains increase with the increase of holding time, its aspect ratio remains unchanged. On these bases, AT grain growth model related to holding time is proposed. It is expectable that the discovery of this study can deepen the research of particle pinning and provide a reference for abnormal grain growth.