Dielectric and Piezoelectric Properties of Pb(Co1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3-PbZrO3 Solid Solution Ceramics

Ceramic and piezoelectric properties of the Pb(Co_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-PbTiO₃-PbZrO₃ system were investigated. The system contains rhombohedral, tetragonal, and pseudocubic phases at room temperature. The triple point is at 0.07Pb(Co_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-0.43PbTiO₃-0.50PbZrO₃. High dielectric constants (750 to 1500) and radial coupling coefficients (40 to 45%) and low average temperature coefficients of resonant frequency (of the order of 10^-6°C) were obtained for compositions near the morphotropic phase boundary.     

Sintering Characteristics in BaTiO3–Nb2O5–Co3O4 Ternary System: I, Electrical Properties and Microstructure

The influences of the Nb/Co ratio on electrical properties, densification behavior, and microstructural evolution were investigated on ceramics in the ternary system BaTiO₃-Nb₂O₅-Co₃O₄. Temperature-stable dielectrics were obtained using either a large amount of Nb + Co or a large Nb/Co ratio. The sintering characteristics and electrical properties were studied for the niobium-rich composition (Nb/Co = 3.00; Comp.N) and the cobalt-rich composition (Nb/Co = 1.67; Comp.C) with the same Nb + Co amount of 2 at.%. The temperature characteristic of the dielectric constant was flat, irrespective of the firing temperature, for Comp.N, whereas it was dependent largely on the firing temperature for Comp.C. The grains did not grow in Comp.N but grew in Comp.C. The reaction of Nb₂O₅ and Co₃O₄ with BaTiO₃ yielded secondary phases: Ba₆Ti₁₇O₄₀ phase for Comp.N, and a barium-poor, titanium-rich, and cobalt-rich phase for Comp.C. These secondary phases formed a liquid phase during firing. Comp.N contained a larger amount of the secondary phase than Comp.C. It was concluded that the liquid phase contributed little to densification and microstructural evolution in the system BaTiO₃-Nb₂O₅-Co₃O₄.     

Phase Relationships in the ZrO2-Sc2O3 and ZrO2-In2O3 Systems

Zirconia-rich subsolidus phase relationships in the ZrO₂–Sc₂O₃ and ZrO₂–In₂O₃ systems were investigated. Phase inconsistencies in the ZrO₂–Sc₂O₃ system resulted from a diffusionless cubic-to-tetragonal ( t' ) phase transformation not being recognized in the past. Through three different measuring techniques, along with microstructural observations, the solubility limits of the tetragonal and cubic phases were determined.     

Phase Equilibrium Studies in the System Iron Oxide-Al2O3-Cr2O3

Subsolidus phase relations in the system iron oride-Al₂O₂-Cr₂O₃ in air and at 1 atm. O₂ pressure have been studied in the. temperature interval 1250° to 1500°C. At temperatures below 1318° C. only sesquioxides with hexagonal corundum structure are present as equilibrium phases. In the temperature interval 1318° to 1410°C. in air and 1318° to 1495° C. at 1 atm. O₂, pressure the monoclinic phase Fe₂O₃. Al₂O₃ with some Cr₂O₃ in solid solution is present in the phase assemblage of certain mixtures. At temperatures above 1380°C. in air and above 1445°C. at 1 atm. O₂ pressure a complex spinel solid solution is one of the phases present in appropriate composition areas of the system. X-ray data relating d- spacing to composition of solid solution phases are given.     

Subsolidus Phase Relations in the Ga2O3-In2O3-SnO2 System

Subsolidus phase relationships in the Ga₂O₃–In₂O₃–SnO₂ system were studied by X-ray diffraction over the temperature range 1250–1400°C. At 1250°C, several phases are stable in the ternary system, including Ga₂O₃( ss ), In₂O₃( ss ), SnO₂, Ga_{3− x} In_{5+ x} Sn₂O₁₆, and several intergrowth phases that can be expressed as Ga_{4−4 x} In_{4 x} Sn _{n −4}O_{2 n −2} where n is an integer. An In₂O₃–SnO₂ phase and Ga₄SnO₈ form at 1375°C but are not stable at 1250°C. GaInO₃ did not form over the temperature range 1000–1400°C.     

Raman and Infrared Spectroscopic Studies of the Crystalline Phases in the System Pb2SiO4-PbSiO3

The stable and metastable phase relations in the system Ph₂SiO₄-PhSiO₃, were reexamined using Raman and ir spectroscopy to characterize the phases. Three stable phases, H-Ph₂SiO₄, M-Ph₂SiO₄, and M-Ph₂SiO₄ (alamosite) and four metastable phases, L-Ph₂SiO₃, phase ^X, L-PhSiO₃ and hexagonal PhSiO₃, occur in the portion of the system investigated. The Raman and ir spectra allow some conclusions to be drawn about the structures of silicate groups in the lead silicate crystalline phases.     

Phase Relations in the System Fe2O3–Fe3O4–YFeO3 in Air

Measurements were made of temperature and ternary composition for coexisting liquid and crystalline phases on the air isobar in the system Fe₂O₃-Fe₃O₄-YFeO₃ with particular regard to the stability range and compositional limits of yttrium iron garnet. Phase equilibrium relations were determined by conventional quenching techniques combined with measurements of loss in weight at the reaction temperature to locate true ternary compositions. The intersection of the air isobar with the ternary univariant boundary curve for coexisting magnetite, garnet, and liquid phases results in a eutectic-type situation at the composition Y_0.27Fe_1.73 O_2.87 and 1469°± 2°C. A similar intersection of the isobar with the boundary curve for coexisting garnet, orthoferrite, and liquid phases gives rise to a peritectic-type reaction at 1555° 3°C. and Y_0.44Fe_1.56 O_2.89 The yttrium iron garnet crystallizing from liquids within these temperature and composition limits contains up to 0.5 mole % iron oxide in excess of the stoichiometric formula in terms of the starting composition 37.5 mole % Y₂O₃, 62.5 mole % Fe₂O₃. At 1470° C. the garnet phase in equilibrium with oxide liquid contains 2 mole % FeO in solid solution. The small solubility of excess of iron oxide and partial reduction of the garnet phase in air are unavoidable during equilibrium growth from the melt.     

Thermodynamic Modeling of the Isomorphous Phase Diagrams in the Al2O3–Cr2O3 and V2O3–Cr2O3 Systems

The phase diagrams in the Al₂O₃–Cr₂O₃ and V₂O₃–Cr₂O₃ systems have been assessed by thermodynamic modeling with existing data from the literature. While the regular and subregular solution models were used in the Al₂O₃–Cr₂O₃ system to represent the Gibbs free energies of the liquid and solid phases, respectively, the regular solution model was applied to both phases in the V₂O₃–Cr₂O₃ system. By using the liquidus, solidus, and/or miscibility gap data, the interaction parameters of the liquid and solid phases were optimized through a multiple linear regression method. The phase diagrams calculated from these models are in good agreement with experimental data. Also, the solid miscibility gap and chemical spinodal in the V₂O₃–Cr₂O₃ system were estimated.     

Coherent Precipitation in the System MgO-Al2O3-Cr2O3

An isothermal section of the ternary system MgO–Al₂O₃-Cr₂O₃ was determined at 1700°± 15°C to delineate the stability field for spinel crystalline solutions (cs). Crystalline solutions were found between the pseudobinary joins MgAl₂O₄–Cr₂O₃ and MgCr₂O₄-Al₂O₃, and the binary join MgAl₂O₄-MgO. The first two crystalline solutions exhibit cation vacancy models while the latter can probably be designated as a cation interstitial model. Precipitation from spinel cs may proceed directly to an equilibrium phase, (Al_1-xCr_x)₂O₃, with the corundum structure or through a metastable phase of the probable composition Mg(Al_1-xC_r)₂₆O₄₀. The composition and temperature limits were defined where the precipitation occurs via metastable monoclinic phases. The coherency of the metastable monoclinic phase with the spinel cs matrix can be understood by considering volume changes with equivalent numbers of oxygens and known crystallographic orientation relations. Electron probe and metallographic microscope investigations showed no preferential grain boundary precipitation.     

Phase Relations and Ordering in the Systems MgO-Y2O3-ZrO2 and CaO-MgO-ZrO2

The phase relations in the systems MgO-Y₂O₃-ZrO₂ and CaO-MgO-ZrO₂ were established at 1220° and 1420°C. The system MgO-Y₂O₃-ZrO₂ possesses a much-larger cubic ZrO₂ solid solution phase field than the system CaO-MgO-ZrO₂ at both temperatures. The ordered δ phase (Zr₃Y₄O₁₂) was found to be stable in the system ZrO₂-Y₂O₃ at 1220°C. Two ordered phases φ₁ (CaZr₄O₉) and φ₂ (Ca₆Zr₁₉O₄₄) were stable at 1220°C in the system ZrO₂-CaO. At 1420°C no ordered phase appears in either system, in agreement with the previously determined temperature limits of the stability for the δ, φ₁, and φ₂ phases. The existence of the compound Mg₃Y_zO₆ could not be confirmed.     

High-Temperature Phase Relations in the System Y2O3-Ta2O5

The phase relations for the system y₂o₃–Ta₂o₅ in the composition range 50 to 100 mol% Y₂O₃ have been studied by solid-state reactions at 1350°, 1500°, or 17000C and by thermal analyses up to the melting temperatures. Weberite-type orthorhombic phases (W2 phase, space group C222₁), fluorite-type cubic phases (F phase, space group Fm3m )and another orthorhombic phase (O phase, space group Cmmm )are found in the system. The W2 phase forms in 75 mol% Y₂O₃ under 17000C and O phase in 70 mol% Y₂O₃ up to 1700°C These phases seem to melt incongruently. The F phase forms in about 80 mol% Y₂O₃ and melts congruently at 2454° 3°C. Two eutectic points seem to exist at about 2220°C 90 mol% Y²O₃, and at about 1990°C, 62 mol% Y₂O₃. A Phase diagram including the above three phases were not identified with each other.     

Phase Relations Applicable to the Garnet Phase Y3Fe4AlO12

Phase relations of the system Fe₂O₃-Y₂O₃-Al₂O₃ were studied at 1500° and 1525°C in air and in oxygen at 1 atm. Isothermal-isobaric sections indicate that the liquids phase field at 1500°C is larger in oxygen than in air. In either atmosphere, at this temperature, the composition of the garnet phase in equilibrium with a liquid is enriched in aluminum relative to the liquid. In the same manner, yttrium orthoferrite is enriched in aluminum relative to garnet in equilibrium between these two phases. The limit of solid solubility of excess iron-aluminum and/or yttrium in the garnet phase Y₃Fe₄AlO₁₂ was determined by X-ray diffraction techniques to be 0.2 ± 0.05 mole % Y₂.O_3.     

Phase Equilibria and Ionic Conductivity in the System ZrO2−Yb2O3−Y2O3

The phase equilibria in the zirconia-rich part of the system ZrO₂−Yb₂O₃−Y₂O₃ were determined at 1200°, 1400°, and 1650°C. The stabilizing effects of Yb₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ were found to be quite similar with <10 mol% of either being necessary to fully stabilize the cubic fluorite-structure phase at 1200°C. The two binary ordered phases, Zr₃Yb₄O₁₂ and Zr₃Y₄O₁₂, are completely miscible at 1200°C. These were the only binary or ternary phases detected. The ionic conductivities of ternary specimens in this system were measured using the complex impedance analysis technique. For a given level of total dopant, the substitution of Yb₂O₃ for Y₂O₃ gives only minor increases in specimen conductivity.     

Reinvestigation of the System Na3AlF6-Li3AlF6

A partial phase diagram for the system Na₃AlF₆-Li₃AlF₆ was constructed from DTA and X-ray diffraction measurements. A region of solid solution extends from Na₃AlF₆ to the limiting composition Na₂LiAlF₆. At compositions between Na_1.5Li_1.5AlF₆ and NaLi₂AlF₆ a cubic phase resembling the mineral cryolithionite is stable over a narrow range of temperatures, which shifts progressively to higher temperatures with increasing lithium content. A single phase can be quenched from samples annealed within this range except near the ideal cryolithionite composition (Na_1.5Li_1.5AlF₆) where the upper temperature limit is too low to permit recombination of two solid phases to cryolithionite even with prolonged annealing. Cryolithionite precipitated from aqueous solution, a sample of the mineral, and the solid solutions containing from 53 to 65 mole % Li₃AlF₆ have identical powder patterns except for differences of lattice constants. Solid solubility of Na₃AlF₆ in Li₃AlF₆ reaches 30 mole % at the eutectic temperature.     

Phase Stability of CdF2-LiF-AIF3-PbF2 Glasses

The techniques of scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, and dark-field transmission electron microscopy were combined to study the phase stability of CdF₂-LiF-AlF₃-PbF₂ glasses. The selected compositions, presumed to be exceptionally stable, exhibited a liquid-liquid immiscibility phase transition; this led to the formation of two amorphous phases consisting of a matrix near the original glass composition and an isolated spherical phase which was richer in CdF₂ and poorer in PbF₂ than the matrix. Subsequent secondary-phase separation and crystallization were observed following heat treatments near the glass transition temperature.     

Solid-Liquid Equilibria in the System Si3N4-AlN-Si02-A12O3

Solid-liquid equilibria at 1750°C and subsolidus phase relations in the system Si₃N₄−AlN-SiO₂−Al₂O₃ were determined for the composition region bounded by the β-Si₃N₄ solid solution line and silica-alumina join X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy were used to determine the phases present in specimens cooled rapidly after equilibration. The extent of a single liquid-phase region and the tie lines for the βsolid solution + liquid field at 1750°C were established from quantitative X-ray diffractometry and lattice parameter measurements of βsolid solutions in equilibrium with liquid. The results were corroborated by optical microscopy and melting behavior observations. A new composition, Si₁₂Al₁₈O₃9N₈, is suggested for the x₁ phase. The lowest melting temperature in the system is ≅ 1480°C and the corresponding composition is 10 eq% Al-90 eq%O.     

Sintering Behavior and Surface Microstructure of PbO-Rich PbNi1/3Nb2/3O3–PbTiO3–PbZrO3 Ceramics

The sintering behavior and surface microstructure of PbNi_1/3Nb_2/3O₃–PbTiO₃–PbZrO₃ (PNiNb-PT-PZ) ceramics were investigated. The PNiNb-PT-PZ ceramics with the stoichiometric composition and the addition of excess lead oxide (PbO-rich ceramics) were sintered by liquid-phase sintering in accordance with the solution-reprecipitation mechanism at temperatures below the melting point of PbO. The temperature at which the liquid phase forms fell to near the eutectic point of the PbO–Nb₂O₅ and the PbO–TiO₂ system (868°C) with the addition of 5 mol% PbO. As the calcination temperature influenced the sinterability of the stoichiometric PNiNb-PT-PZ ceramic, unreacted PbO was considered to be the source of the liquid phase in the sintering of the stoichiometric powder. The secondary phase was observed at the surface of PbO-rich ceramics and was suggested to be a liquid phase expelled from inside the ceramic. A sintering scheme of PNiNb-PT-PZ ceramics was proposed, and the high sinterability of PNiNb-PT-PZ ceramics was attributed to the low formation temperature of the liquid phase.     

The System Bi2O3-SiO2

The Bi₂O₃-rich side of the system Bi₂O₃-SiO₂ was studied with powder X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis. In the composition 6Bi₂O₃. x SiO₂, the metastable γ phase (bcc) was observed to exist over the range of 0 < x ≤ 1. In most of the compositions studied, metastable phases of water-quenched melts transformed into another metastable phase before reaching stable phases. A modification of the phase diagram is proposed.     

Effects of Amorphous and Crystalline SiO2 Additives on γ-Al2O3-to-alpha-Al2O3 Phase Transitions

This paper focused on the effects of various phases of SiO₂ additives on the γ-Al₂O₃-to-α-Al₂O₃ phase transition. In the differential thermal analysis, the exothermic peak temperature that corresponded to the theta-to-α phase transition was elevated by adding amorphous SiO₂, such as fumed silica and silica gel obtained from the hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate. In contrast, the peak temperature was reduced by adding crystalline SiO₂, such as quartz and cristobalite. Amorphous SiO₂ was considered to retard the γ-to-α phase transition by preventing γ-Al₂O₃ particles from coming into contact and suppressing heterogeneous nucleation on the γ-Al₂O₃ surface. On the other hand, crystalline SiO₂ accelerated the α-Al₂O₃ transition; thus, this SiO₂ may be considered to act as heterogeneous nucleation sites. The structural difference among the various SiO₂ additives, especially amorphous and crystalline phases, largely influenced the temperature of γ-Al₂O₃-to-α-Al₂O₃ phase transition.     

High-Temperature Phase Relations in the Sc2O3-Ta2O5 System

The phase relations for the Sc₂O₃-Ta₂O₅ system in the composition range of 50-100 mol% Sc₂O₃ have been studied by using solid-state reactions at 1350°, 1500°, or 1700°C and by using thermal analyses up to the melting temperatures. The Sc_5.5Ta_1.5O₁₂ phase, defect-fluorite-type cubic phase (F-phase, space group Fm 3 m ), ScTaO₄, and Sc₂O₃ were found in the system. The Sc_5.5Ta_1.5O₁₂ phase formed in 78 mol% Sc₂O₃ at <1700°C and seemed to melt incongruently. The F-phase formed in ∼75 mol% Sc₂O₃ and decomposed to Sc_5.5Ta_1.5O₁₂ and ScTaO₄ at <1700°C. The F-phase melted congruently at 2344°± 2°C in 80 mol% Sc₂O₃. The eutectic point seemed to exist at ∼2300°C in 90 mol% Sc₂O₃. A phase diagram that includes the four above-described phases has been proposed, instead of the previous diagram in which those phases were not identified.