Thin high-strength zirconia tapes with extreme flexibility

The yttria stabilized zirconia ceramics (Y-TZP) are known for their high fracture toughness and high strength. Due to their excellent mechanical properties, the thin zirconia tapes can possess extraordinary behavior – extreme flexibility. In the present work, we introduce an adaptation of gel-tape casting method for the preparation of thin, high-strength zirconia tapes from water-based suspensions. Fine ceramic powder with a particle size of around 100 nm was used. The negative effect of sodium ions on the strength and toughness of sintered ceramic samples was revealed and explained. Ceramic tapes with a thickness of 190 µm with as-sintered surfaces reached a characteristic biaxial strength of 1805 MPa. The huge elastic deformation of ceramic tapes was demonstrated in a 3- point bend test, and a bending radius of 25 mm for a 75 µm thick tape was reached.