• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.456-461
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• 2014

PURPOSE. Translucency and colour stability are two most important aspects for an aesthetic dental restoration. Glass ceramic restorations are popular amongst clinicians because of their superior aesthetic properties. In the last decade, zirconia has generated tremendous interest due to its favorable mechanical and biological properties. However, zirconia lacks the translucency that lithium disilicate materials possess and therefore has limitations in its use, especially in esthetically demanding situations. There has been a great thrust in research towards developing translucent zirconia materials for dental restorations. The objective of the study was to evaluate and compare the transmittance of a translucent variant of zirconia to lithium disilicate. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Two commercially available zirconia materials (conventional and high translucency) and 2 lithium disilicate materials (conventional and high translucency) with standardized dimensions were fabricated. Transmittance values were measured for all samples followed by a microstructural analysis using a finite element scanning electron microscope. One way analysis of variance combined with a Tukey-post hoc test was used to analyze the data obtained (P=.05). RESULTS. High translucency lithium disilicate showed highest transmittance of all materials studied, followed by conventional lithium disilicate, high translucency zirconia and conventional zirconia. The difference between all groups of materials was statistically significant. The transmittance of the different materials correlated to their microstructure analysis. CONCLUSION. Despite manufacturers' efforts to make zirconia significantly more translucent, the transmittance values of these materials still do not match conventional lithium disilicate. More research is required on zirconia towards making the material more translucent for its potential use as esthetic monolithic restoration.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.279-285
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• 1998

The $UO_2$ pellets are usually sintered under hydrogen gas atmosphere. Hydrogen gas may cause unexpected early failure of the refractory bricks in the sintering furnace. In this work, nitrogen was mixed with hydrogen to investigate the effect of nitrogen gas on a failure machanism of the refractory bricks and on the microstructure of the $UO_2$ pellet. The hydrogen-nitrogen mixed gas experiments show that the larger nitrogen the mixed gas contains, the less the refractory materials are reduced by hydrogen. The weight loss measurements at $1400^{\circ}C$ for fire clay and chamotte refractories containing high content of $SiO_2$ indicate that the weight loss rate for the mixed gas is about half of that for the hydrogen gas. Based on the thermochemical analyses, it is proposed that the weight loss is caused by hydrogen-induced reduction of free $SiO_2$ and/or $SiO_2$ bonded to $Al_2O_3$ in the fire clay and chamotte refractories. However, the retardation of the hydrogen-induced $SiO_2$ reduction rate under the mixed gas atmosphere may be due to the reduction of the surface reaction rate between hydrogen gas and refractory materials in proportion to volume fraction of nitrogen gas in the mixed gas. On the other hand, the mixed gas experiments show that the test data for $UO_2$ pellet still meet the related specification values, even if there exists a slight difference in the pellet microstructural parameters between the cases of the mixed gas and the hydrogen gas.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.683-688
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• 2013

Candidate coating materials for re-usable metallic nuclear fuel crucibles, TaC, TiC, ZrC, $ZrO_2$, and $Y_2O_3$, were plasmasprayed onto a niobium substrate. The microstructure of the plasma-sprayed coatings and thermal cycling behavior were characterized, and U-Zr melt interaction studies were carried out. The TaC and $Y_2O_3$ coating layers had a uniform thickness, and high density with only a few small closed pores showing good consolidation, while the ZrC, TiC, and $ZrO_2$ coatings were not well consolidated with a considerable amount of porosity. Thermal cycling tests showed that the adhesion of the TiC, ZrC, and $ZrO_2$ coating layers with niobium was relatively weak compared to the TaC and $Y_2O_3$ coatings. The TaC and $Y_2O_3$ coatings had better cycling characteristics with no interconnected cracks. In the interaction studies, ZrC and $ZrO_2$ coated rods showed significant degradations after exposure to U-10 wt.% Zr melt at $1600^{\circ}C$ for 15 min., but TaC, TiC, and $Y_2O_3$ coatings showed good compatibility with U-Zr melt.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.288-292
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• 2015

New lead-free piezoelectric ceramics $0.96[\{Bi_{0.5}(Na_{0.84}K_{0.16})_{0.5}\}_{1-x}La_x(Ti_{1-y}Nb_y)O_3]-0.04SrTiO_3$ (BNKT-ST-LN, where $x=y=0.00{\leq}(x=y){\leq}0.015)$ were synthesized using the conventional solid-state reaction method. Their crystal structure, microstructure, and electrical properties were investigated as a function of the La and Nb (LN) content. The X-ray diffraction patterns revealed the formation of a single-phase perovskite structure for all the LN-modified BNKT-ST ceramics in this study. The temperature dependence of the dielectric curves showed that the maximum dielectric constant temperature ($T_m$) shifted towards lower temperatures and the curves became more diffuse with an increasing LN content. At the optimum composition (LN 0.005), a maximum value of remnant polarization ($33C/cm^2$) with a relatively low coercive field (22 kV/cm) and high piezoelectric constant (215 pC/N) was observed. These results indicate that the LN co-modified BNKT-ST ceramic system is a promising candidate for lead-free piezoelectric materials.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.53 no.7
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• pp.352-357
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• 2004

The composites were fabricated, respectively, using 61vol.% SiC - 39vol.% TiB$_2$ and using 61vo1.% SiC - 39vo1.% WC powders with the liquid forming additives of 12wt% $Al_2$O$_3$＋Y$_2$O$_3$ by pressureless annealing at 180$0^{\circ}C$ for 4 hours. Reactions between SiC and transition metal TiB$_2$, WC were not observed in this microstructure. The result of phase analysis of composites by XRD revealed SiC(6H), TiB$_2$ and YAG(Al$_{5}$Y$_3$O$_{12}$) crystal phase on the SiC-TiB$_2$, and SiC(2H), WC and YAG(Al$_{5}$Y$_3$O$_{12}$) crystal phase on the SiC-WC composites. $\beta$\$\longrightarrow$$\alpha$-SiC phase transformation was ocurred on the SiC-TiB$_2$, but $\alpha$\$\longrightarrow$$\beta$-SiC reverse transformation was not occurred on the SiC-WC composites. The relative density, the vicker's hardness, the flexural strength and the fracture toughness showed respectively value of 96.2%, 13.34GPa, 310.19Mpa and 5.53Mpaㆍml/2 in SiC-WC composites. The electrical resistivity of the SiC-TiB$_2$ and the SiC-WC composites is all positive temperature coefficient resistance(PTCR) in the temperature ranges from $25^{\circ}C$ to 50$0^{\circ}C$. 2.64${\times}$10-2/$^{\circ}C$ of PTCR of SiC-WC was higher than 1.645${\times}$10-3/$^{\circ}C$ of SiC-TiB$_2$ composites.posites.

• Composites Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.185-190
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• 2020

Titanium is widely used as an implant material due to its excellent biocompatibility, but has a problem due to high cost and high Young's modulus compared to bone. Magnesium alloy is attracting attention as a material to replace it. Magnesium alloy, like titanium, has excellent biocompatibility and has a Young's modulus similar to that of bone. However, there are corrosion resistance problems due to corrosion, and various surface treatment methods are being studied to solve them. In this study, the ceramic coating layer was grown on the surface of the AZ31 magnesium alloy in an electrolytic solution containing EDTA, and the properties of the formed coating were analyzed through SEM and XRD to analyze the microstructure and shape, and measured the micro hardness of the coating layer. Corrosion properties in the body were evaluated through a corrosion test in SBF solution, a component similar to blood plasma.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.67-72
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• 2004

The microwave dielectric properties and microstructure of the (1-x)$Mg_4Ta_2O_{9-x}TiO_2$(X=0, 0.3, 0.4) ceramic were, investigated. The specimens were prepared by the conventional mixed oxide method with sintering temperature of $1350^{\circ}C$∼$1425^{\circ}C$. According to the XRD patterns, the (1-x)$Mg_4Ta_2O_{9-x}TiO_2$(X=0, 0.3, 0.4) ceramics have the $Mg_4Ta_2O_{9}$ phase(hexagonal). The dielectric constant($\varepsilon$$_{\gamma}$) and density increased with sintering temperature and mole fraction of x. To improve the quality factor and the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency, TiO$_2$($\varepsilon_{r}$=100, $Q{\times}f_{r}$=40,000GHz, $\tau$$_{f}$=＋450 ppm/$^{\circ}C$) was added in $Mg_4Ta_2O_{9}$ ceramics. In the case of the $0.7Mg_4Ta_2O_{9}$-$0.3TiO_2$ and the $0.6Mg_4Ta_2O_{9}$-$0.4TiO_2$ceramics sintered at $1400^{\circ}C$ for 5hr., the microwave dielectric properties were $\varepsilon$$_{\gamma}$=11.72, $Q{\times}f_{r}$=126,419GHz, $\tau_{f}$=-31.82 ppm/$^{\circ}C$ and $\varepsilon_{r}$=12.19, $Q{\times}f_{r}$=109,411GHZ, $\tau$$_{f}$= -17.21 ppm/$^{\circ}C$, respectively.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.290-298
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• 2019

$TiO_2$-particles containing Co grains are fabricated via thermal hydrogenation and selective oxidation of TiCo alloy. For comparison, $TiO_2$-Co composite powders are prepared by two kinds of methods which were the mechanical carbonization and oxidation process, and the conventional mixing process. The microstructural characteristics of the prepared composites are analyzed by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scattering electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the composite powders are sintered at $800^{\circ}C$ by spark plasma sintering. The flexural strength and fracture toughness of the sintered samples prepared by thermal hydrogenation and mechanical carbonization are found to be higher than those of the samples prepared by the conventional mixing process. Moreover, the microstructures of sintered samples prepared by thermal hydrogenation and mechanical carbonization processes are found to be similar. The difference in the mechanical properties of sintered samples prepared by thermal hydrogenation and mechanical carbonization processes is attributed to the different sizes of metallic Co particles in the samples.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.487-493
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• 2018

The impact of different mixing methods and sintering temperatures on the microstructure and piezoelectric properties of PZNN-PZT ceramics is investigated. To improve the sinterability and piezoelectric properties of these ceramics, the composition of $0.13Pb((Zn_{0.8}Ni_{0.2})_{1/3}Nb_{2/3})O_3-0.87Pb(Zr_{0.5}Ti_{0.5})O_3$ (PZNN-PZT) containing a Pb-based relaxor component is selected. Two methods are used to create the powder for the PZNN-PZT ceramics. The first involves blending all source powders at once, followed by calcination. The second involves the preferential creation of columbite as a precursor, by reacting NiO with $Nb_2O_5$ powder. Subsequently, PZNN-PZT powder can be prepared by mixing the columbite powder, PbO, and other components, followed by an additional calcination step. All the PZNN-PZT powder samples in this study show a nearly-pure perovskite phase. High-density PZNN-PZT ceramics can be fabricated using powders prepared by a two-step calcination process, with the addition of 0.3 wt% MnO2 at even relatively low sintering temperatures from $800^{\circ}C$ to $1000^{\circ}C$. The grain size of the ceramics at sintering temperatures above $900^{\circ}C$ is increased to approximately $3{\mu}m$. The optimized PZNN-PZT piezoelectric ceramics show a piezoelectric constant ($d_{33}$) of 360 pC/N, an electromechanical coupling factor ($k_p$) of 0.61, and a quality factor ($Q_m$) of 275.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.392-396
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• 2021

Expensive PCBN or ceramic cutting tools are used for processing of difficult-to-cut materials such as Ti and Ni alloy materials. These tools have the problem of breaking easily due to their high hardness but low fracture toughness. To solve these problems, cutting tools that form various coating layers are used in low-cost WC-Co hard material tools, and research on various tool materials is being conducted. In this study, binderless-WC, WC-6 wt%Co, WC-6 wt%Co-1 wt% Mo₂C, and WC-6 wt%Co-2.5 wt% Mo₂C hard materials are densified using horizontal ball milled WC-Co, WC-Co-Mo₂C powders, and spark plasma sintering process (SPS process). Each SPSed Binderless-WC, WC-6 wt%Co-1 wt% Mo₂C, and WC-6 wt%Co-2.5 wt% Mo₂C hard materials are almost completely dense, with relative density of up to 99.5 % after the simultaneous application of pressure of 60 MPa and almost no significant change in grain size. The average grain sizes of WC for Binderless-WC, WC-6 wt%Co-1 wt% Mo₂C, and WC-6 wt%Co-2.5 wt% Mo₂C hard materials are about 0.37, 0.6, 0.54, and 0.43 ㎛, respectively. Mechanical properties, microstructure, and phase analysis of SPSed Binderless-WC, WC-6 wt%Co-1 wt% Mo₂C, and WC-6 wt%Co-2.5 wt% Mo₂C hard materials are investigated.