Structure of Incoherent ZrO2/Al2O3 Interfaces

High‐resolution electron microscopy was used to image incoherent ZrO2/Al2O3 interfaces in ZrO2‐toughened Al2O3 containing intragranular ZrO2. These particles are generally spherical but are sometimes faceted. High‐resolution electron micrographs provide atomic‐level information on the interfacial structure. For spherical particles, both ledgelike images and misfit dislocation‐like images accommodated the lattice misfit, depending on the orientation of the interface, while faceted particles imply at least one low‐energy ZrO2/Al2O3 interface.