Nanohardness and fracture toughness of combustion chemical vapor deposition deposited yittria stabilized zirconia–alumina films

Composite films with compositions of 100% yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and YSZ with 15, 30, 45, 62.8 (eutectic composition), 80 mol% alumina and 100% alumina films were deposited onto sapphire substrates using combustion chemical vapor deposition. Precursors of yttrium 2-ethylhexanoate, zirconium 2-ethylhexanoate and Al acetylacetonate dissolved in toluene at a total metal ion concentration of 0.002 M were used to produce films up to 1 μm thick. Flame temperatures at the substrate surfaces were 1550±50 °C and deposition rates fell between of 0.76–1.7 μm/h, depending on composition.