Local structures surrounding Zr in nanostructurally stabilized cubic zirconia: Structural origin of phase stability

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2008 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3041490· OSTI ID:21180000

Soo, Y L; Chen, P J; Huang, S H; Shiu, T J; Tsai, T Y; Chow, Y H; Lin, Y C; Weng, S C; Chang, S L ^[1]; Wang, G; Cheung, C L ^[2]; Sabirianov, R F; Mei, W N ^[3]; Namavar, F; Haider, H; Garvin, K L ^[4]; Lee, J F ^[5]; Lee, H Y; Chu, P P ^[6]

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1. Department of Physics, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China)
2. Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588 (United States)
3. Department of Physics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska 68182 (United States)
4. Department of Orthopaedics Surgery and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198 (United States)
5. National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China)
6. Department of Chemistry, National Central University, Jhongli 32001, Taiwan (China)

Local environment surrounding Zr atoms in the thin films of nanocrystalline zirconia (ZrO{sub 2}) has been investigated by using the extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) technique. These films prepared by the ion beam assisted deposition exhibit long-range structural order of cubic phase and high hardness at room temperature without chemical stabilizers. The local structure around Zr probed by EXAFS indicates a cubic Zr sublattice with O atoms located on the nearest tetragonal sites with respect to the Zr central atoms, as well as highly disordered locations. Similar Zr local structure was also found in a ZrO{sub 2} nanocrystal sample prepared by a sol-gel method. Variations in local structures due to thermal annealing were observed and analyzed. Most importantly, our x-ray results provide direct experimental evidence for the existence of oxygen vacancies arising from local disorder and distortion of the oxygen sublattice in nanocrystalline ZrO{sub 2}. These oxygen vacancies are regarded as the essential stabilizing factor for the nanostructurally stabilized cubic zirconia.

• OSTI ID: 21180000
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 104, Issue 11; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3041490; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ABSORPTION
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ANNEALING
CRYSTALS
DEPOSITION
FINE STRUCTURE
HARDNESS
ION BEAMS
NANOSTRUCTURES
OXYGEN
PHASE STABILITY
SOL-GEL PROCESS
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
THIN FILMS
VACANCIES
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES