ThefracturetoughnessofMgOpartiallystabilizedzirconia(MgO-PSZ)hasbeenmea-suredbythehardnessindentationmethod.TheinfluencesofheattreatmentonthefracturetoughnessK1cofMgO-PSZwerestudied,ItwasfoundthatthefracturetoughnessofMgO-PSZcanbegreatlychangedbydifferentheattreatmentprofile.Thefracturetoughnesswasimprovedbytheheattreatmentat1100℃afteragingat1400℃,TherewasthegreatestK1cvalue(11.30MPa.m^1/2)ofthesamplesagedat1400℃for2hfollowedbyasubse-quentannealat1100℃for10h.ThechangesinthemicrostructureofMgO-PSZceramicsagedwithdifferentthermaltreatmentwerestudieddbyuseoftransmissionelectronmicroscopy.