Synthesis and Electrical Properties of Mo-ZrO2 Cermet

Abstract

Under the protected condition of the purified argon atmosphere, Mo-ZrO2cermets were sintered by Mo powder and ZrO2powder at 1873K for 2 hours. Mircostructure of cermets were observed by means of XRD, optical microscope and SEM anslysis. Electrical properties of sintered samples with different Mo content and temperature were measured using DC four-electrode method. The results showed that metal phase and ceramic phase were independent of each other. With the reduction of Mo content, Mo metal phase as the continuous network structure is dispersedly distributed in the ceramic phase zone. The electrical conductivity of cermets at room temperature increased with decreaseing of the Mo content. The trend that the high-temperature electrical conductivity of cermets changed with the Mo content is the same as the trend that at the room temperature. When the Mo content is greater than 40%, the high-temperature electrical conductivity increased linearly with increasing temperature. The electrical conductivity of 40mol-% Mo-ZrO2reached the peak at 1223K and 1473K.