0000000000186421
AUTHOR
F. J. Serrano
Crystal structure and microstructure of synthetic hexagonal magnesium–cobalt cordierite solid solutions (Mg2−2xCo2xAl4Si5O18)
Co2+-containing cordierite glasses, of nominal compositions (Mg1−xCox)2Al4Si5O18(withx= 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1), were prepared by melting colloidal gel precursors. After isothermal heating at 1273 K for around 28 h, a single-phase α-cordierite (high-temperature hexagonal polymorph) was synthesized. All materials were investigated using X-ray powder diffraction and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The crystal structure and microstructure were determined from X-ray diffraction patterns. Rietveld refinement confirmed the formation of magnesium–cobalt cordierite solid solutions. The unit-cell volume increased with the increase of cobalt content in the starting glass. The crysta…
Microstructural evolution of mullites produced from single-phase gels
The crystalline microstructure of mullites obtained by heating monophasic gels has been investigated. Gels with alumina to silica molar ratio of 3:2 (as in secondary mullite) and 2:1 (as in primary mullite) were prepared by gelling mixtures of aluminium nitrate and tetraethylorthosilicate. Phase transformations were induced by heating the gel precursors, with different final treatment temperatures between 1173 and 1873 K. The mullites formed as a result of thermal treatment were studied by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The crystalline structure (unit-cell parameters) and microstructure were determined from X-ray diffraction pa…
XRD Line Broadening Studies on Mullite
An X-ray diffraction microstructural study on 110, 220, 001 and 111 peaks has been performed on mullite in the temperature range of primary mullite formation in order to monitor nucleation and growth process. Considering the crystallinity of the starting kaolinites, a greater disorder of the kaolinite has been found to enhance the mullite formation. Isothermal growth is related to a decrease in the Al 2 O 3 content of mullite.
X-ray diffraction microstructure analysis of mullite, quartz and corundum in porcelain insulators
Abstract The X-ray diffraction microstructure analysis has been performed on commercial samples of the silica and alumina porcelain insulators obtained at 1300 °C, with the same time of firing. The study was carried out on mullite, corundum and quartz by applying several integral breadth methods (i.e. the Williamson–Hall analysis, the Langford method and the Halder–Wagner approximation) and the Fourier analysis (Warren–Averbach method). The apparent crystallite sizes determined for the mullite are direction-dependent (anisotropic) and within each group of samples, on average, the greatest values are obtained along the direction [0 0 1]. With regard to the microstructure of the corundum and …
X-ray diffraction line-broadening study on two vibrating, dry-milling procedures in kaolinites
Due to the great technological importance of the microstructure of kaolinite, characterizing its evolution during dry milling of kaolin and analyzing the microstructural information obtained from different methods were the main aims of this work. The microstructural alteration of kaolinite is evaluated by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy methods, comparing the results obtained and analyzing the correlations between them. The Warren-Averbach and Voigt-function methods of X-ray diffraction microstructural analysis have been applied successfully to the study of the effects of two different, vibrating-cup dry-milling configurations in the microstructure of kaolinite from the reflection…
XRD microstructural analysis of mullites obtained from kaolinite–alumina mixtures
Abstract A microstructural study of mullite obtained by the reaction sintering of kaolinite–α–alumina mixtures in the range 1150–1700°C has been performed by using X-ray line profile analyses together with scanning and transmission electron microscopy equipped with microanalysis by energy dispersion (SEM-EDS, TEM-AEM). Two kinds of morphology corresponding to primary (elongated grains) and secondary (equiaxed grains) mullite have been observed. A bimodal crystallite size distribution has been detected through XRD microstructural analysis from 1300°C. The results obtained by this method are compared with SEM/TEM data.
Microstructural evolution and growth of crystallite size of mullite during thermal transformation of kyanite
Abstract The microstructural evolution of mullite during the thermal transformation of kyanite has been studied in the temperature range 1200–1600 °C. The shape and size of the grains were analysed by means of SEM-EDS while crystallite size evolution was studied by X-ray line profile analyses. The results obtained showed that total transformation of kyanite to mullite takes place between 1350 and 1400 °C. At temperatures below 1350 °C needle-like mullite grains are always produced. At higher temperatures the mullite grains reveal rounded end platelet morphology. Evolution from needle-like to platelet shape was correlated with the X-ray data.
Comparative X-ray diffraction study of the crystalline microstructure of tetragonal and monoclinic vanadium–zirconium dioxide solid solutions produced from gel precursors
The microstructural characteristics of solid solutions, prepared by heating dried gel precursors with nominal compositions VxZr1−xO2(0 ≤x≤ 0.1) at 723 and 1573 K, were determined from X-ray diffraction patterns. The crystalline microstructure of the resulting specimens, characterized by a prevalent crystallite shape, a volume-weighted crystallite size distribution and a second-order lattice strain distribution, was found to depend on the vanadium content. A characteristic feature of all size distributions was their bimodality, explained as a result of transformations between tetragonal and monoclinic phases during thermal treatment. A comparative study of the microstructure of both zirconia…
Effect of TiO2 on the mullite formation and mechanical properties of alumina porcelain
Abstract The effect of adding TiO 2 to standard alumina porcelain on its microstructure and flexural strength was investigated. A series of alumina porcelain bodies containing increasing amounts of TiO 2 were prepared by extruding mixtures of raw materials and TiO 2 . Porcelain rods were fired under industrial scheduling in a manufacturing kiln. The overall degree of crystalline and amorphous phase content within the porcelain bodies was quantitatively determined using a Rietveld analysis. Results indicated a higher amount of mullite formation in porcelain bodies containing TiO 2 . Examination of the product materials using field emission scanning electron microscopy showed a high density o…
An X-ray powder diffraction study of the microstructural evolution on heating 3:2 and 2:1 mullite single-phase gels
Single-phase gels with compositions 3Al2O3·2SiO2 and 2Al2O3·SiO2 were prepared by gelling mixtures of aluminium nitrate and tetraethylorthosilicate. Gels were fast heated at different temperatures between 900°C and 1600°C. The phase transformation and microstructural changes of both mullite precursor gels over the temperature range were followed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), lattice parameter determination (LP), and scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM). The distribution of crystallite sizes and strains were determined by linewidth refinements of X-ray diffraction patterns using the integral breadth method of Langford and the Warren-Averbach analysis. XRD of bot…
Mechanism of Formation of TiO2-Doped Mullites from Heated Single-Phase Gels Investigated by Structural and Microstructural Parameters
An analysis of the microstructure of TiO 2 -doped mullites prepared from monophasic gels thermally treated in the temperature range 900°-1600°C is reported. Two series of gels with nominal compositions 3(Al 2-x Ti x O 3 ) ·2(SiO 2 ) and 2(Al 2-x Ti x O 3 )·(SiO 2 ), in the range 0≤x≤0.15, were prepared. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to follow the structural and textural evolution from gels to the final doped mullites. The crystallite sizes and microstrains were determined by linewidth refinements of XRD patterns using the integral breadth method of Langford and the Warren-Averbach analysis. XRD patterns showed the formation of Al 2 TiO 5 and…
Solubility and microstructural development of TiO2-containing 3Al2O3·2SiO2 and 2Al2O3·SiO2 mullites obtained from single-phase gels
Abstract The interdependence of the titanium oxide amount and the anisotropic growth of mullites prepared from single-phase gels were investigated. Gels with stoichiometries 3(Al2−xTixO3)·2(SiO2) and 2(Al2−xTixO3)·(SiO2), with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15 were prepared by the semialkoxide method. Gels and specimens heated at temperatures between 1200 and 1600 °C were characterized by using infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission and field emission scanning electron microscopies (TEM and FESEM). Al2TiO5 as minor impurity was detected in both series of mullites for gel precursor compositions x = 0.10 and x = 0.15, obtained at temperatures between 1200 and 1600 °C. Variations of l…
A new FESEM procedure for assessment of XRD microstructural data of kaolinites
Abstract A sample preparation method for FESEM microstructural analysis of sheet silicates using oriented aggregates on metallic strips parallel to the electronic beam is described. The method allows the easy measurement of thickness of kaolinite crystallites. The results have been compared to the apparent crystallite size measured by XRD The performed measurements for a set of selected kaolinites are in the range 15–60 nm and show a good correlation with XRD crystallite thickness (in the range 11–48 nm) obtained by the Voigt function method.