Dynamic compaction of yttria-stabilized zirconia with the addition of carbon-nanotubes

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is a versatile ceramic utilized for its hardness as well as thermal stability. In these experiments, carbon nanotubes (3% and 5% by weight) were added to powdered YSZ before it was statically compacted. These compacted samples were then dynamically compressed and monitored using a Photon Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) system. The objective was to better develop an understanding of how carbon nano-tubes (CNT) affects the initial shock response of the powder system. Experiments indicate the CNT both steepen the rise and increase the Hugoniot state of the YSZ-CNT system as compared to YSZ alone. Additionally, the PDV data is in good agreement with simple hydrocode simulations. The results of experiments and simulations are discussed.