A process for forming a ceramic component, said process comprising: (a) preparing a mixture comprising a multimodal grain distribution including; (i) at least 50 wt% of coarse grain mode including partially stabilized zirconia, said coarse grain mode comprising a D50 grain size in the range of from 5 to 800 μm, based upon the total weight of said component, wherein said partially stabilized zirconia comprises 1 mole % to 7 mole % Y 2 O 3; and (ii) at least 1 wt% of fine grain mode comprise at least one of a stabilized zirconia and a stabilizer, said fine grain mode comprising a D50 average grain size not greater than one-fourth the D50 grain size of said coarse grain mode, dispersed within said coarse grains, based upon the weight of said mixture, wherein said fine grains comprise at least one of (i) a stabilized zirconia, (ii) a stabilizer, and (iii) mixtures thereof; (b) forming said mixture into a shape; (c) sintering said shape to form a sintered component, wherein after sintering, said sintered component has porosity at ambient temperature in the range of from 5 to 45 vol.%, based upon the formed volume of said component; and (d) annealing the sintered component at a temperature of at least 1800°C for at least two hours to form the ceramic component, wherein after annealing, the ceramic component has a porosity at ambient temperature in the range of from 5 to 45 vol.% based upon the volume of said ceramic component, a flexural strength of at least 41 MPa (6 kpsi), and a normalized thermal shock resistance rating of at least four. (a) preparing a mixture comprising a multimodal grain distribution including; (i) at least 50 wt% of coarse grain mode including partially stabilized zirconia, said coarse grain mode comprising a D50 grain size in the range of from 5 to 800 μm, based upon the total weight of said component, wherein said partially stabilized zirconia comprises 1 mole % to 7 mole % Y 2 O 3; and (ii) at least 1 wt% of fine grain mode comprise at least one of a stabilized zirconia and a stabilizer, said fine grain mode comprising a D50 average grain size not greater than one-fourth the D50 grain size of said coarse grain mode, dispersed within said coarse grains, based upon the weight of said mixture, wherein said fine grains comprise at least one of (i) a stabilized zirconia, (ii) a stabilizer, and (iii) mixtures thereof; (i) at least 50 wt% of coarse grain mode including partially stabilized zirconia, said coarse grain mode comprising a D50 grain size in the range of from 5 to 800 μm, based upon the total weight of said component, wherein said partially stabilized zirconia comprises 1 mole % to 7 mole % Y 2 O 3; and (ii) at least 1 wt% of fine grain mode comprise at least one of a stabilized zirconia and a stabilizer, said fine grain mode comprising a D50 average grain size not greater than one-fourth the D50 grain size of said coarse grain mode, dispersed within said coarse grains, based upon the weight of said mixture, wherein said fine grains comprise at least one of (i) a stabilized zirconia, (ii) a stabilizer, and (iii) mixtures thereof; (b) forming said mixture into a shape; (c) sintering said shape to form a sintered component, wherein after sintering, said sintered component has porosity at ambient temperature in the range of from 5 to 45 vol.%, based upon the formed volume of said component; and (d) annealing the sintered component at a temperature of at least 1800°C for at least two hours to form the ceramic component, wherein after annealing, the ceramic component has a porosity at ambient temperature in the range of from 5 to 45 vol.% based upon the volume of said ceramic component, a flexural strength of at least 41 MPa (6 kpsi), and a normalized thermal shock resistance rating of at least four.