Probing the improbable: imaging carbon atoms in alumina

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2010 · Materials Today

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S1369-7021(10)70184-X· OSTI ID:1004435

Marquis, E A ^[1]; Yahia, Noor ^[1]; Larson, David J. ^[2]; Miller, Michael K ^[3]; Todd, Richard ^[1]

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1. University of Oxford
2. Imago Scientific Instruments, Madison, WI
3. ORNL

Atom-probe tomography has proven very powerful to analyze the detailed structure and chemistry of metallic alloys and semiconductor structures while ceramic materials have remained outside its standard purview. In the current work, we demonstrate that bulk alumina can be quantitatively analyzed and microstructural features observed. The analysis of grain boundary carbon segregation - barely achievable by electron microscopy - opens the possibility of understanding the mechanistic effects of dopants on mechanical properties, fracture and wear properties of bulk oxides.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Shared Research Equipment Collaborative Research Center
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1004435
• Journal Information: Materials Today, Vol. 13, Issue 10; ISSN 1369-7021
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALLOYS
ATOMS
CARBON
CERAMICS
CHEMISTRY
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FRACTURES
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDES
SEGREGATION
TOMOGRAPHY