Thermal conductivity of single crystals zirconia stabilized by scandium, yttrium, gadolinium, and ytterbium oxides

The phase composition and heat conductivity of (ZrO₂)_0.9(R₂O₃)_0.1 solid solution single crystals have been studied, where R = (Gd, Yb, Sc, Y), (ZrO₂)_0.9(Sc₂O₃)_0.09(Gd₂O₃)_0.01 and 
(ZrO₂)_0.9(Sc₂O₃)_0.09(Yb₂O₃)_0.01. Single crystals have been grown by directional melt crystallization in a cold skull. The phase composition of the crystals has been studied using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The heat conductivity of the crystals has been studied using the absolute steady-state technique of longitudinal heat flow in the 50—300 K range. We show that at a total stabilizing oxide concentration of 10 mol.% the phase composition of the crystals depends on the ionic radius of the stabilizing cation. The (ZrO₂)_0.9(Sc₂O₃)_0.1 crystals have the lowest heat conductivity in the 50—300 K range while the (ZrO₂)_0.9(Gd₂O₃)_0.1 solid solutions have the lowest heat conductivity at 300 K.
Analysis of the experimental data suggests that the heat conductivity of the crystals depends mainly on the phase composition and ionic radius of the stabilizing cation. Phonon scattering caused by the difference in the weight of the co-doping oxide cation has a smaller effect on the heat conductivity.

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