6. Conclusion

Zirconia, a ceramic material, is an example of property-structure dependency. As such, by modifying its structure, either through judicious additions or through the preparation process, it is possible to adjust its properties of use to make it a functional material, or at least to satisfy a compromise, as the various applications described have shown. Other applications linked to its refractoriness have been envisaged for certain fields of application. The flexibility of zirconia's structural characteristics (through its production and preparation processes) means that it can be used for a wide variety of applications, and this flexibility should undoubtedly open up new fields of functional applications.