Samples of alumina, zirconia and their mixtures were prepared using powders produced by two different processes. The first process only involved the flo-deflocculation of diluted suspensions whereas the second required two steps, first flo-deflocculation and then ball milling of the slurries. Materials comprising a matrix containing a relatively small quantity of the dispersed phase (20 vol% and 80 vol% ZrO2) show better properties when they are produced from flo-deflocculated powders. When samples contain a large quantity of the dispersed phase, milling after flo-deflocculation is beneficial because it provides better homogeneity, which provides greater density and strength although toughness is not significantly improved.
