Singular Grain Boundaries in Alumina Doped with Silica

Pure Al₂O₃ powder compact sintered at 1400°C after adding 100 mol ppm of SiO₂ shows grain boundaries that are flat, even across the triple junctions. TEM observations show that these flat grain boundaries are parallel to the basal planes of the grains on one side. These flat grain boundaries must be singular. At such a low SiO₂ concentration and a low temperature, it is very unlikely that any liquid phase is present at these grain boundaries to cause such flat boundary shapes.