Model experiment on thermodynamic stability of retained intergranular amorphous films

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997 · Journal of the American Ceramic Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1151-2916.1997.tb03068.x· OSTI ID:529547

Ackler, H D; Chiang, Y M ^[1]

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1. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering

To test the stability of intergranular amorphous films against crystallization, a model experiment was conducted wherein a thin SiO{sub 2} film was deposited on a single-crystal TiO{sub 2} substrate, annealed to form a eutectic liquid in equilibrium with the substrate, then quenched and crystallized below the eutectic temperature. This geometry is free of residual stresses and capillary effects proposed by others as kinetic limitations to complete crystallization. Furthermore, using a binary system removes solute rejection barriers to complete crystallization. A remnant amorphous film {approximately}1.5 nm thick retained at the hetero-interface shows unequivocally that the amorphous film is thermodynamically preferred to a crystal/crystal interface in this system.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); National Science Foundation, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-87ER45307
• OSTI ID: 529547
• Journal Information: Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Journal Name: Journal of the American Ceramic Society Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 80; ISSN 0002-7820; ISSN JACTAW
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
AMORPHOUS STATE
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
EUTECTICS
FILMS
INTERFACES
KINETICS
RECRYSTALLIZATION
SILICON OXIDES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TITANIUM OXIDES