Dense and strong ZrO2 ceramics fully densified in <15 min

Crack-free zirconia ceramics were consolidated via sintering by intense thermal radiation (SITR) approach at 1600–1700°C for 3–5 min. The resulted ceramic bulks can achieve a relative density up to 99.6% with a grain size of 300–1200 nm. Their bending strength, Vickers hardness and indentation toughness values are up to 1244 ± 139 MPa, 13.3 ± 0.3 GPa and 5.5 ± 0.1 MPa m1/2, respectively. Quantitative Raman and XRD analysis show the presence of minor m phase on the natural surface (<7%), fracture surface (<10%) and indentation areas (<15%). It reveals that the SITR method is efficient for rapidly manufacturing zirconia ceramics with desired density, fine grained microstructure and good mechanical properties that are strongly demanded in dental applications.