Synthesis of B₂O₃-added zircon ceramics using an arch plasma sintering (APS) technique

Synthesis of zircon solid ceramics with the addition of B2O3 as a sintering agent has been carried out using the Arch Plasma Sintering (APS) method. The raw zircon powder was prepared from local zircon sand. The zircon and the B2O3 powders were milled for 1 hour at a speed of 150 rpm. The amount of B2O3 was varied at 0, 3, and 6 wt%. The conditions of the APS sintering included a current of 60 A and a holding time of 8 minutes, where the plasma was exposed only on one side of the samples. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were used to characterize the phase and microstructure, while the Archimedes method was used as a principle for measuring density. The XRD data analysis showed that monoclinic zirconia was found in the ceramic samples without the addition of B2O3, while those with B2O3 were able to retain the single zircon phase. The micrographic observations using SEM showed that the B2O3-added samples had a higher density level as compared to those without B2O3 addition. The highest density was achieved by the 6 wt.% sample which was as high as 4.3 gr/cm3 or 93.5% theoretical density. The latter sample would be a potential material for lithium battery applications when a conductive layer such as carbon is introduced.