Abstract
A batch mixture was prepared as 16mol% CaO-84mol% $ZrO_2$ of regeant-grade powder. The monoclinic Zirconia powder had an average particle size of $9.24 \mu\textrm{m}$ and calcium carbonate powder had a reported purity of 99.7 weight percent and mean particle size of TEX>$24, 37<\mu\textrm{m}$. The specimens were fired at 1400, 1500, 1650 and $1750^{\circ}C$ for 0. 3, 5 and 7 hours respectively. After fired the specimens were investigated using Scaning electron microscopy. Density Porosity Compressive strength Modulus of rupture and Thermal expansion were measured X-ray diffration analysis was also carried out. The results are as follows ; 1) As the firing temperature or soaking time was increased firing linear shrinkage apparent density compressive strength and modulus of rupture increased but apparent porosity decreased, 2) Cubic and monoclinic Zirconia was found at $1400^{\circ}C$ and cubic Ziconia found above $1500^{\circ}C$ 3) The specimens fired at 140$0^{\circ}C$ without soaking display thermal expansion curves by monoclinic〓tetragonal transformation and no tranformation was found at $1400^{\circ}C$ for 5hrs and above $1500^{\circ}C$. 4) The lattice parameter had constant value of 5.1345 $\AA$ through all the ranges of firing temperature 5) The higher the firing temperature was or the longer the soaking time was the larger the grain size was.