Y ₂ O ₃ ‐Doped Ba _0.8 Ca _0.2 ZrO ₃ Ceramic for Ti6Al4V Alloy Melting

ABSTRACT Vacuum induction melting (VIM) has become a crucial technique for producing high‐quality titanium alloys. A major challenge lies in developing a ceramic crucible material that combines excellent chemical stability with high thermal shock resistance. In this study, Y 3+ ‐doped perovskite‐structured Ba 0.8 Ca 0.2 ZrO 3 ceramics were successfully prepared via atmospheric pressure sintering. The incorporation of Y 3 + into Ba 0.8 Ca 0.2 ZrO 3 significantly improved the thermal shock resistance. When 4 wt% Y 2 O 3 was added, the residual flexural strength increased from 3.52 to 4.77 MPa. Moreover, the addition of Y 2 O 3 effectively reduced melt‐induced corrosion of the crucible. No distinct erosion layer was observed on the crucible sidewall, and only minimal adhesion of refractory particles was found on the alloy side of the sample, indicating a substantial decrease in erosion severity. These results demonstrate the potential of this material for use in titanium alloy melting applications.