Polymorphism of BaTiO3 Acceptor Doped with Mn3+, Fe3+, and Ti3+

The effect of Mn doping on the cubic to hexagonal phase transition temperature in BaTiO₃ has been determined by quenching samples with different Mn contents from a range of temperatures. Under conditions of equilibrating samples in air over the range 1000°–1400°C, cubic solid solutions BaTi_{1− x} Mn _x O_3−δ form over the range 0≤ x ≤0.015(5), whereas hexagonal solid solutions form for x ≥0.02, depending on the temperature. The results are compared with those on doping BaTiO₃ with Fe³⁺ and observations made concerning acceptor doping with Ti³⁺.     

Occurrence of Ti3+ and Fe2+ in Mullite

Electron paramagnetic studies showed that Ti³⁺ and Fe²⁺ occur in mullites taken from a refractory material which was fused-cast under a reducing atmosphere. Exposure of the mullite samples to temperatures >1600°C caused oxidation of Ti³⁺ and Fe²⁺ to Ti⁴⁺ and Fe³⁺, respectively.     

Stabilization of Ordered Zirconium Titanates through the Chemical Substitution of Ti4+by Al3+/Ta5+

We have investigated the ZrO₂–AITaO₄ system to understand how selected chemical substitutions can be used to control cation-ordering transformations in zirconium titanate based dielectric ceramics. The complete replacement of the Ti content of Zr _x Ti_2–xO₄ by a coupled Al³⁺/Ta⁵⁺ substitution permits the synthesis of a wide range of isostructural Zr _x (Al_0.5Ta_0.5)_2–xO₄ solid solutions. At high temperatures a disordered α-PbO₂ type of structure is formed for 0.375 ≤ x ≤ 1.03. Samples with 0.67 ≤ x ≤ 1.03 undergo a cation-ordering reaction to a structure in which the a and b axes of the parent disordered Cell are doubled. The stabilities of these cation-ordered derivative structures are significantly greater than those of the ordered zirconium titanates. The ordering temperatures are composition dependent with a maximum of 1393°C occurring for Zr_0.86(Al_0.5TaO_0.5)_1.14O₄. The higher transition temperatures also enhance the kinetics of the ordering transition; whereas the pure zirconium titanates require extended annealing to produce complete cation order, fully ordered Zr_χ(Al_0.5Ta_0.5)_2–χO₄ solid solutions are produced during a normal furnace cool.     

Upconversion Luminescence in Er3+ Doped and Yb3+/Er3+ Codoped Yttria Nanocrystalline Powders

Y_1.9Er_0.1O₃ and Y_1.7Yb_0.2Er_0.1O₃ nanocrystalline powders were prepared via a reverse-strike coprecipitation method using nitrates and ammonia as raw materials. The obtained powders were of cubic-phase structure of Y₂O₃ and the particle size was in the range of ∼60–80 nm. Strong red (⁴F_9/2–⁴I_15/2) and green (²H_11/2/⁴S_3/2–⁴I_15/2) upconversion luminescence were observed in all the samples when excited with a 980-nm continuous wave diode laser. The possible upconversion mechanisms in Y_1.9Er_0.1O₃ and Y_1.7Yb_0.2Er_0.1O₃ were discussed. Power studies indicated that two-photon processes are responsible for the green and red upconversion luminescence in these systems. The codoping of Yb³⁺ greatly enhanced the red (⁴F_9/2–⁴I_15/2) upconversion emission.     

Lattice Parameters, Ionic Conductivities, and Solubility Limits in Fluorite-Structure MO2 Oxide [M = Hf4+, Zr4+, Ce4+, Th4+, U4+] Solid Solutions

Changes in the lattice parameters of fluorite type MO₂ oxides (M = Hf⁴⁺, Zr⁴⁺, Ce⁴⁺, Th⁴⁺, U⁴⁺) due to the formation of solid solutions can be predicted by proposed empirical equations. The equations show the generalized relationship between dopant size and ionic conductivity in the binary systems of these oxides, illustrating that the smaller the difference between the dopant ionic radius and the critical dopant radius, the higher the conductivity. The solubility limit of the same periodic group elements in fluorite-structure MO₂ oxides decreaes linearly with the square of Vegard's slope for each solute as determined from the proposed equations.     

Sintering Kinetics of a MgAl2O4 Spinel Doped with LiF

The sintering kinetics of a pure magnesium aluminate spinel, MgAl₂O₄, and that doped with LiF were determined through the use of the master sintering curve technique developed by Su and Johnson. ²⁰ Powders with 0%, 0.5%, and 1.0% by mass LiF were densified in a vacuum hot press under a range of unaxial pressures. After the sintering mechanisms in each temperature and pressure regime were determined, an optimized vacuum hot-pressing schedule was formulated for spinel powders doped with 1.0% by mass of LiF. In addition to forming a transient liquid phase, the presence of LiF leads to the formation of oxygen vacancies that promote late-stage sintering in MgAl₂O₄.     

Energy Transfer and Population Inversion in Heavy Metal Oxide Glasses Doped with Tm3+ and Tb3+

Emission properties and energy transfer of PbO–Bi₂O₃–Ga₂O₃–GeO₂ glasses codoped with Tm³⁺ and Tb³⁺ ions were investigated. The 1.48-μm emission due to the Tm³⁺:³H₄→³F₄ transition can be used to amplify the S-band (1460–1530-nm) signal light. With Tb³⁺ addition, the lifetime and emission intensity of the Tm³⁺:³F₄ level decreased sharply via the Tm³⁺:³F₄→Tb³⁺:⁷F_0,1,2 energy transfer. Population densities of the ³F₄ and ³H₄ levels in Tm³⁺ calculated from rate equations clearly verified that population inversion in Tm³⁺ ions became possible with as little as 0.1 mol% of Tb³⁺ addition.     

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Determination of Ti3+ in Several Titanium Phosphate Compounds

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was used to test the presence of Ti³⁺ in several novel compounds also containing Ti⁴⁺. The results obtained confirmed the presence of Ti³⁺, and indicated that differences in the EPR spectral lines of Ti³⁺ can make differentiation easier between compounds which have X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns that are not markedly different.     

Energy Transfer Process for the Blue Up-Conversion in Calcium Aluminate Glasses Doped with Tm3+ and Nd3+

Excitation of Tm³⁺ to ³ H ₄ using the 791 nm pump source showed the frequency up-converted blue emission (∼480 nm) due to the Tm³⁺:¹ G ₄→³ H ₆ transition in Tm³⁺/Nd³⁺ codoped CaO·Al₂O₃ glasses. Intensity and lifetime changes with rare-earth concentrations suggested the efficient energy transfer of Tm³⁺:³ H ₄→ Nd³⁺:⁴ F _5/2 and Nd³⁺:⁴ F _3/2→ Tm³⁺:¹ G ₄. The latter transfer enabled Tm³⁺ to reach its ¹ G ₄ level, and the blue emission became possible through the ¹ G ₄→³ H ₆ transition. Quantitative analysis with rate equations proved that these two transitions were the most efficient among all the possible energy transfer routes between Tm³⁺ and Nd³⁺. Calculated up-conversion efficiency of the Tm³⁺/Nd³⁺ combination in CaO·Al₂O₃ glass was 6.6 × 10⁻³, and it was ∼4 orders of magnitude larger than those reported for other oxide glasses.     

Synthesis of Er3+ Doped Y2O3 Nanophosphors

The synthesis and characterization of yttrium hydroxyl carbonate (Y(OH)CO₃²⁻) and yttrium nitrate hydroxide hydrate (Y(OH)NO₃H₂O) precursor materials as well as Y₂O₃ nanoparticles are reported. The resultant precursor particle size is about 10–12 nm with a narrow size distribution by the enzymatic decomposition method, whereas the particle size was smaller than those acquired by the homogeneous and alkali precipitation methods. The formation of Y(OH)CO₃²⁻ and Y(OH)NO₃H₂O species was also evident from the fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) analysis. Precipitated Y(OH)CO₃²⁻ precursors have an amorphous nature whereas Y(OH)NO₃H₂O precursors have a crystalline nature, which was manifested from the XRD analysis. Moreover, precipitated Y(OH)NO₃H₂O precursors were found in the agglomerated form and Y(OH)CO₃²⁻ was established in the monodispersed form, as determined from the FE-SEM, TEM and DLS measurements. It was demonstrated that calcination of precursor materials at 900°C eventually removed the inorganic anions from the precursors and consequently produced crystalline Y₂O₃ nanoparticles, which was evident from the XRD and FT-IR analysis. The EDS analysis confirms Er³⁺ doping in the Y₂O₃ nanoparticles. The morphology and the size of the Y₂O₃ nanoparticles are almost unchanged before and after the calcination.     

The Wulff Shape of Alumina: IV. Ti4+-Doped Alumina

Controlled-geometry cavities, initially ≈20 μm × 20 μm × 0.5 μm, were introduced into     -plane titanium-doped (≈210 ppma;≈500 wt. ppm) sapphire substrates using photolithographic methods, and subsequently internalized by diffusion bonding. The samples were annealed in air for prolonged periods at 1600° and 1800°C to convert the titanium to the 4+ state and to allow the pore shapes to adjust. Pores with an equivalent spherical radius of ≈3.6 μm reached a quasi-equilibrium shape within 160 h at 1600°C and within 48 h at 1800°C. The Wulff shape was determined using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The Wulff shape of Ti⁴⁺-doped alumina includes well-defined c(0001),     , and     facets and smoothly curved sections. The     and a     facets, which are components of the Wulff shape of undoped sapphire, are not discernable. In contrast to undoped alumina, for which the r-plane has the lowest energy, the c-plane is the lowest energy plane in Ti⁴⁺-doped alumina. The surface energy sequence of the stable c, r, and p surfaces differs from that in undoped alumina. The Wulff shape varies with temperature. Samples equilibrated at 1800°C were re-annealed at 1600°C. Pore shape changes were reversible, indicating that the observed pore shapes were close to the equilibrium (Wulff) shape.     

Gamma-Induced Absorption Bands Associated with Tl+, Pb2+, or Bi3+ in Potassium Borate Glasses

Gamma irradiation of potassium borate glasses containing about 1.8 mole % Tl⁺, Pb²⁺, or Bi³⁺ resulted in two induced absorption bands which the authors call T and L bands. The T band was observed at about 1.1, 1.55, or 1.8 ev, and the L band was observed at about 1.8, 2.6, or 2.7 ev in alkali borate glasses containing Tl⁺, Pb²⁺, or Bi³⁺, respectively. The shifting of the band positions to higher energies was attributed to the increasing polarizing power of these ions as in the case of the F band induced in alkali halides. The effect of the addition of cerium on the intensity of the T and L bands induced in glasses containing lead or thallium and prepared under different melting conditions suggested strongly that these two bands are associated with electron trap centers near these ions.     

Control of Grain-Boundary Pinning in Al2O3/ZrO2 Composites with Ce3+/Ce4+ Doping

The control of the microstructure of Ce-doped Al₂O₃/ZrO₂ componsites by the valence change of cerium ion has been demonstrated. Two distinctively different types of microstructure, large Al₂O₃ grains with intragranular ZrO₂ particles and small Al₂O₃ grains with intergranular ZrO₂ particles, can be obtained under identical presintering processing conditions. At doping levels greater than ∼ 3 mol% with respect to ZrO₂, Ce³⁺ raises the alumina grain-boundary to zirconia particle mobility ratio. This causes the breakaway of grain boundary from particles and the first type of microstructure. On the other hand, Ce⁴⁺ causes no breakaway and produces a normal intergranular ZrO₂ distribution. The dramatic effect of Ce³⁺ on the relative mobility ratio is found to be associated with fluxing of the glassy boundary phase and is likewise observed for other large trivalent cation dopants. The ZrO₂ second phase acts as a scavenger for these trivalent cations, provided their solubility limit in ZrO₂ is not exceeded.     

Coordination of Ti4+ Sites in Nanocrystalline TiO2 Films Used for Photoinduced Electron Conduction: Influence of Nanoparticle Synthesis and Thermal Necking

Nanocrystalline titania (TiO₂) anatase films are widely utilized as substrates for electron conduction in photoelectrochemical devices. In this paper, we subjected the lattice disorder of TiO₂ anatase nanoparticles and the resulting nanocrystalline films to analysis with X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. The TiO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized from dehydration of a titanate and from a conventional sol–gel method. Although both specimens had similar first shell Ti⁴⁺ coordination numbers (CNs) of ca. 5.7, the titanate-derivative TiO₂ was shown to be phase-pure anatase and the sol–gel TiO₂ contained a minute amount of brookite impurity. After nanoparticle necking into films, the former TiO₂ exhibited a negligible decrease in the CN, whereas the latter showed a significant decrease to a value of ca. 4.9. As a result, the titanate-derivative film is more efficient than the sol–gel one in transmitting electrons injected from a photoexcited dye. Significant lattice distortion near the grain boundaries of films are believed to occur during necking of the nanoparticles containing impurities. We have demonstrated that the synthesis of phase-pure nanoparticles is essentially important in fabricating films with a minimal degree of lattice disorder.     

Compositional Dependence of Absorption Spectra of Ti3+ in Silicate, Borate, and Phosphate Glasses

Absorption spectra of Ti³⁺ were measured for silicate, borate, and phosphate glasses doped with 0.5 mol% Ti₂O₃.The absorption coefficient at the peak wavelength of the ₂T₂→₂E transition of Ti³⁺ is used as a parameter showing the relative content of Ti³⁺ions in glass samples. The effect of glass composition on Ti³⁺/Ti⁴⁺ redox was studied. For multicomponent glasses, a basicity parameter calculated from glass composition is proposed in terms of coulomb force between the cation and the oxygen ion. The value of the absorption coefficient depends on basicity in silicate and borate glasses; however, it is independent of composition in phosphate glasses.     

Structural and Optical Characterization of Flower-Like Rutile Nanostructures Doped with Fe3+

Flower-like agglomerates with sizes of 200–400 nm of pure and Fe³⁺-doped TiO₂ with rutile crystalline structure were synthesized by the coprecipitation method. The morphology of the agglomerates was determined by electron microscopy (TEM and HRTEM). TiO₂ agglomerates consist of nanorods with clearly visible crystalline faces, parallel to the axis of elongation whose direction was along the [101] direction of pure TiO₂ and the [111] direction of doped TiO₂. Furthermore, nanorods consist of "chains" of spherical particles, most likely interconnected through the so-called oriented attachment or grain-rotation-induced grain coalescence (GRIGC) process. UV/Vis reflection measurements revealed that the absorption of pure TiO₂ was significantly shifted from UV toward the visible spectral region upon the incorporation of Fe³⁺ into the TiO₂ host.     

Diffusion of Co2+ and Ni2+ in Magnesium Oxide

Rates of diffusion of Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺ ions in the MgO lattice were determined by a micrographic method. The energies of activation for the transport process were 65 and 36 kcal per mole, respectively. The penetration curve in these systems exhibited a plateau followed by a sudden decrease in concentratior.