Method to prevent low temperature degradation of zirconia
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a degradation resistant component for use in living tissue, comprising the steps of:
- providing a component comprised of yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal ceramic;
depositing a coating of alumina by ion beam assisted deposition on the component; and
selecting deposition parameters to achieve a coating comprised of less than about 1.0 percent total porosity.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is directed to a method of producing the material that is unaffected by the low-temperature degradation, humidity-enhanced phase transformation typical of yttria-stabilized zirconia, as well as of yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline ceramic (Y-TZP). Because of the high fracture toughness and high mechanical strength, this class of materials is widely used, including as implants, such as for the packaging material for small implantable neural-muscular sensors and stimulators. The destructive phase transformation rate is dramatically reduced by coating the surface of the Y-TZP component with dense alumina by a physical vapor deposition process, preferably ion beam assisted deposition.
-
Citations
7 Claims
-
1. A method of manufacturing a degradation resistant component for use in living tissue, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a component comprised of yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal ceramic;
depositing a coating of alumina by ion beam assisted deposition on the component; and
selecting deposition parameters to achieve a coating comprised of less than about 1.0 percent total porosity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
Specification