Thermal properties of the optically transparent pore-free nanostructured yttria-stabilized zirconia

The authors report results of investigation of thermal conductivity of nanocrystalline yttria-stabilized zirconia. The optically transparent pore-free bulk samples were prepared via the spark plasma sintering process to ensure homogeneity. Thermal conductivity K was measured by two different techniques. It was found that the pore-free nanostructured bulk zirconia is an excellent thermal insulator with the room-temperature K∼1.7–2.0 W/m K. It was also shown that the “phonon-hopping” model can accurately describe specifics of K dependence on temperature and the grain size. The obtained results are important for optimization of zirconia properties for specific applications in advanced electronics and coatings.