Zirconia vane for rotary compressors

Abstract

A zirconia vane used in a rotary compressor, the zirconia vane being formed of a partially stabilized zirconia sintered body containing 92 through 98 molar percent of ZrO.sub.2 and being stabilized with Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, zirconia crystals constituting the zirconia sintered body having a mean grain diameter of 0.1 to 0.6 .mu.m and a maximum grain diameter of not greater than 2 .mu.m, the zirconia sintered body having a mean three-point flexural strength of not less than 120 kg/mm.sup.2 measured in conformity with JIS R1601, a surface of the zirconia sintered body in contact with a rotor of the rotary compressor having a first surface roughness in a direction of rotations of the rotor, specified by a ten-point mean roughness Rz, of not greater than 1 .mu.m and a second surface roughness in a direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the rotor, specified by the ten-point mean roughness Rz, of not greater than 0.6 .mu.m. The vane is light-weight and has excellent sliding properties to effectively prevent cohesion and seizure in an atmosphere of a coolant of chlorine-free like an HFC.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.