Process for producing a zirconia refractory body and a product produced by the process

A process for producing a refractory body made of at least partially stabilized zirconia and having a predetermined shape, comprising the steps of:

• (1) mixing particles consisting of fine particles of zirconia having a monoclinic crystal structure and fine particles of a stabilizer composed of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of MgO, CaO and Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 with a binder, said zirconia particles having an average size of 0.5 to 5 .mu.m comprising 30 to 70% by weight of particles of a diameter of 0.1 to 5 .mu.m and 70 to 30% by weight of particles of a diameter of 5 to 10 .mu.m and said stabilizer particles being of a size small enough to pass through a Tyler standard sieve of 325 mesh (44 .mu.m), and the fine particles of the stabilizer being mixed in an amount of not less than 2% by weight of the zirconia and stabilizer particles,
• (2) granulating the resulting mixture to form granulated particles comprising 30 to 70% by weight of particles of a diameter of 1 to 70 .mu.m and 70 to 30% by weight of particles of a diameter of 70 to 170 .mu.m,
• (3) shaping the granulate mixture into a predetermined form and
• (4) firing the shaped mass thus formed at a temperature of 1,600.degree. to 1,850.degree. C. to promote sintering and stabilization of the zirconia particles simultaneously.