Zirconia powders doped with C-60 molecules were prepared from an aqueous solution of zirconium oxynitrate dihydrate, C-60 and C(16)TMA, and sintered at 600 degrees C under 5.5 GPa for 2 h, C-60 was found to be retained in the sintered specimens by HRTEM, and carbon was observed to be uniformly dispersed by the SEM-EDX analysis. HRTEM observations of the sintered specimens exhibited the formation of ZrO2 crystal grains covered with thin graphitic or amorphous carbon films.