Crystallization under hydrothermal conditions allowed us to prepare nanometric powders in the MgO-ZrO2 system of different magnesia concentrations. Sintering runs of these powder compacts studied using dilatometry measurements during heating and cooling revealed essential differences in their behavior. The microstructure of the resulting polycrystal is strongly related to the magnesia content in the starting powder, which strongly influences the phase composition of the resulting material and its mechanical properties. It should be emphasized that the novel processing method of such materials differs from the usual applied technology and leads to magnesia-zirconia materials of a different microstructure than that of "classical" materials of this kind.
Keywords: MgO; ZrO2; solid-state reaction.