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Alumina–mullite–zirconia composites were prepared using alumina and zircon powders pressed uniaxially at 250 MPa and sintered in a microwave furnace held at 1 550 °C for 90 min. The effects of short milling and sintering time on the density, phase evaluation and mechanical strength of the sintered composites were analyzed and compared with composites sintered in a conventional furnace. The goal was to decrease sintering time and temperature over that for conventional heating. The results showed that, although the densities were similar for both methods, the hardness, mechanical strength and fraction of the tetragonal zirconia phase of the microwave-sintered composites were much higher. The milling time yielded better densification and higher mechanical properties. It was found that the shorter sintering time in a microwave furnace requires longer milling time of the powders to obtain the same composite properties.

This paper investigates the effects of Iranian andalusite and short milling times on alumina–mullite–zirconia composites. Andalusite powder was added at 0, 2.5, 5, and 10 wt% to an alumina–zircon mixture and the raw materials were milled for 1 or 3 h. The sintering of samples was carried out at the temperatures of 1550°C, 1600°C, and 1650°C for 3 h. Microstructural changes, phase composition, physical properties, and mechanical strength of the sintered composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, density, and strength measurement tests. Results show that andalusite promoted the decomposition of zircon and accelerated the reaction sintering of alumina–zircon, which leads to the formation of much more mullite phase and improvements to the composites’ thermal shock resistance up to about 50%.

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