Study of deformation mechanisms in flash-sintered yttria-stabilized zirconia by in-situ micromechanical testing at elevated temperatures

Flash sintering has received wide attention lately due to its ultrafast densification process at low sintering temperature. However, the deformability of flash-sintered ceramics remains poorly understood. Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) was processed by flash sintering to study deformation mechanism. Transmission electron microscopy studies show that the flash-sintered YSZ contains ultrafine grains and dislocations. Strain rate jump tests at elevated temperature by in-situ microcompression indicate the existence of a large threshold stress. The activation energy of deformation is ∼145 kJ/mol, similar to the activation energy for oxygen vacancy migration. The deformation mechanisms of the flash-sintered YSZ at elevated temperatures are discussed. IMPACT STATEMENT: The current study reveals the underlying deformation mechanisms of flash-sintered 3YSZ that shows considerable plasticity over the temperature range of 450–650°C via in-situ microcompression test.