3Y-ZrO2 powders were prepared from sol-gel synthesis. When the gel was washed with water, the particles in gel would be attractive to each other by hydrogen bond. The hard agglomerates in water-washed powders were sintered for five hours and only reached to 78% theoretical density at 1300℃. The powders treated with 1-octanol contained Van-der Waals forces. The soft agglomerates powders from 1-octanol treated were sintered to 98% of theoretical density at 1200℃ for five hours.