A method is described to assess optima two-step sintering schedules of ceramic materials that combines predictions of the sintering kinetics based on shrinkage data with Taguchi fractional experimental plans. The study is based on commercial nanopowders (similar to 50 nm) of the partially stabilized tetragonal zirconia (ZrO2)(0.97)(Y2O3)(0.03), and the fully stabilized cubic phase (ZrO2)(0.92)(Y2O3)(0.08). The controlled processing parameters are the peak temperature (T-p), the temperature and dwell time of the isothermal step (T-d and t(d)) and the cooling rate (beta) between T-p and T-d. Dense (ZrO2)(0.97)(Y2O3)(0.03) ceramics were obtained with an average grain size of similar to 100 nm under the conditions T-p = 1320 degrees C, T-d = 1250 degrees C, t(d) = 12 h and beta = 20 K min(-1). Grain growth is inhibited to a lesser extent for the (ZrO2)(0.92)(Y2O3)(0.08) ceramics, with the lowest average grain size of 450 nm obtained for T-p = 1320 degrees C, T-d = 1270 degrees C, t(d) = 12 h and beta = 20 K min(-1). The predictions based on Herring's scaling law applied to non-isothermal densification data are in reasonable agreement with isothermal results obtained for the tetragonal zirconia ceramics, whereas they fail for the cubic phase, probably due to the grain growth occurring up to T-p. The total ionic conductivity values at 1000 degrees C are 0.0525 cm(-1) for (ZrO2)(0.97)(Y2O3)(0.03) and 0.145 S cm(-1) for (ZrO2)(0.92)(Y2O3)(0.08). These values are comparable to those reported for samples with three to four times larger grain size. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.