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USGS · 70022939

Hydrogen defects in α-Al 2 O 3 and water weakening of sapphire and alumina ceramics between 600 and 1000°C: I. Infrared characterization of defects

Abstract

Hydrogen impurities in materials influence their properties, including flow strength. α -Al 2 O 3 single crystals and polycrystalline ceramics were annealed in supercritical water between 850 and 1025°C, under pressures in the range 1500–2000 MPa. A few specimens were further subjected to plastic deformation. Hydrogen penetration was examined using infrared absorption measurements of O–H bond vibrations, which revealed two kinds of hydrogen defects. In single crystals, defects are characterized by sharp O–H absorption bands assigned to interstitial protons. Hydrogen impurities of hydrothermally annealed ceramics and of all hydrothermally deformed specimens are characterized by broad O–H bands assigned to molecular water. The grain boundaries of hydrothermally annealed ceramics are severely damaged. The kinetics of hydrogen penetration is consistent with diffusion data.

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BibTeXRIS

A. K. Kronenberg, J. Castaing, T. E. Mitchell, S. H. Kirby. 2000. Hydrogen defects in α-Al 2 O 3 and water weakening of sapphire and alumina ceramics between 600 and 1000°C: I. Infrared characterization of defects. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1359-6454(99)00448-6

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Hydrogen defects in α-Al2O3 and water weakening of sapphire and alumina ceramics between 600°C and 1000°C: II. Mechanical properties

Hydrogen impurities in alumina have been introduced by hydrothermal annealing (see part I). In this paper, we report on reductions in the flow strength of α -Al 2 O 3 single crystals and polycrystals associated with hydrogen incorporation. Prior to deformation, α -Al 2 O 3 single crystal and ceramic specimens were annealed in the presence of supercritical water at 850° or 900°C, under 1500 MPa pressure. Sapphire and alumina ceramics were plastically deformed between 600° and 1000°C under 1500 MPa pressure, by the addition of a uniaxial stress. Flow stresses are reduced by a factor of two, due to the presence of water, for sapphire and large grain (30–50 μm) polycrystals, as a result of enhanced dislocation mobility. Flow stresses of fine-grained (3–5 μm) polycrystals are reduced by water by a factor of six. This large reduction in strength is attributed to a change in mechanism from dislocation glide under dry conditions to grain boundary sliding under hydrothermal conditions.

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