Studying alumina boundary migration using combined microscopy techniques

J. L. Riesterer, J. K. Farrer, N. E. Munoz, S. R. Gilliss, N. Ravishankar, C. B. Carter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Thermal grooving and migration of grain boundaries in alumina have been investigated using a variety of microscopy techniques. Using two different methods, polycrystalline alumina was used to investigate wet, (implying the presence of a glassy phase), and dry grain boundaries. In the first, single-crystal Al2O3 was hot-pressed via liquid phase sintering (LPS) to polycrystalline alumina with an anorthite glass film at the interface. Pulsed laser deposition was used to deposit approximately 100-nm thick glass films. Specimens were annealed in air at 1650°C for 20 h to induce boundary migration. Boundary characterization was carried out using visible light (VLM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopies. Effects on migration due to surface orientation of grains were investigated using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The second method dealt with heat treating dry boundaries in polycrystalline alumina to monitor boundary migration behavior via remnant thermal grooves. Heat treatments were conducted at 1650°C for 30 min. The same region of the sample was mapped using VLM and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and followed over a series of 30 min heat treatments. Boundary migration through a pore trapped inside the grain matrix was of particular interest.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)123-126
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Physics: Conference Series
Volume26
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2006
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Studying alumina boundary migration using combined microscopy techniques'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this