X-ray, Raman and FTIRS studies of the microstructural evolution of zirconia particles caused by the thermal treatment

Genesis of the structure of zirconia particles prepared by precipitation of amorphous hydrated zirconia by ammonia from the ZrO(NO₃)₂ solution followed by a mild hydrothermal treatment (HTT) of precipitate, washing and calcination under air up to 1000 °C has been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and FTIRS. As revealed by FTIRS of lattice modes, the local structure of amorphous zirconia subjected to HTT is close to that in m-ZrO₂. This helps to obtain nearly single-phase monoclinic nanozirconia (particle size 5-15 nm) already after a mild calcination at 500 °C. Stability of this phase with nanoparticles sizes below the critical value determined by thermodynamic constraints is due to its excessive hydroxylation demonstrated by FTIRS. Dehydroxilation and sintering of these nanoparticles at higher (600-650 °C) temperatures of calcination leads to reappearance of the (111) “cubic” reflection in XRD patterns. Modeling of XRD patterns revealed that this phenomenon could be explained by polysynthetic (001) twinning earlier observed by HRTEM.     

Kristallstruktur und Pseudosymmetrie einer neuen Modifikation von Kaliumhexachloroniobat(V), KNbCl6. Anmerkungen zur kubischen Phase

Crystal Structure and Pseudosymmetry of a New Modification of Potassium Hexachloroniobate(V), KNbCl₆. Comments on the Cubic Phase Long needles of KNbCl₆ – invariably twinned around [100] – are obtained if the material is crystallized from SOCl₂ solution. The structure has been determined from X-ray data collected with a single-crystal diffractometer at room temperature [space group P2₁/n, Z = 16, a = 6.894(1), b = 22.073(4), c = 23.337(3) Å, β = 91.00(1)°, R = 0.032 for 2 909 unique reflexions, 290 structural parameters]. Distorted NbCl₆^? octahedra and ?interstitial’? K⁺ ions are found to form similar arrangements, each of them corresponding to a closest packing of spheres with the layer sequence ACAB (stacking symbol hc). The resulting asymmetry in coordination by potassium is coupled with a strong off-centre displacement of the Nb atoms in any of the four independent chlorine polyhedra (0.14 Å on average). A pronounced pseudosymmetry accounts for the twinning. Since P2₁/m2₁/n2₁/b (no. 62) is already a good approximation of the real structure, only one formal step of symmetry reduction (index t2) is needed to create both, the observed twin law and the actual space group P1 2₁/n1. Above 180°C a reconstructive phase transition leads to the ‘face-centred cubic’ modification with ～ 10% lower density.     

Scanning electron microscopic studies on different habits of gel grown doped manganese carbonate crystals

The effect of impurities on the growth of manganese carbonate crystals has been studied. Stereophotogrammetric analysis showed that all crystal faces have the same Miller indices and the peanut-shaped forms are twins with twin axis 0001.     

Orientation-dependent deformation mechanisms of bcc niobium nanoparticles

Nanoparticles usually exhibit pronounced anisotropic properties, and a close insight into the atomic-scale deformation mechanisms is of great interest. In present study, atomic simulations are conducted to analyse the compression of bcc nanoparticles, and orientation-dependent features are addressed. It is revealed that surface morphology under indenter predominantly governs the initial elastic response. The loading curve follows the flat punch contact model in [1 1 0] compression, while it obeys the Hertzian contact model in [1 1 1] and [0 0 1] compressions. In plastic deformation regime, full dislocation gliding is dominated in [1 1 0] compression, while deformation twinning is prominent in [1 1 1] compression, and these two mechanisms coexist in [0 0 1] compression. Such deformation mechanisms are distinct from those in bulk crystals under nanoindentation and nanopillars under compression, and the major differences are also illuminated. Our results provide an atomic perspective on the mechanical behaviours of bcc nanoparticles and are helpful for the design of nanoparticle-based components and systems.     

Nonlinear phase field theory for fracture and twinning with analysis of simple shear

A phase field theory for coupled twinning and fracture in single crystal domains is developed. Distinct order parameters denote twinned and fractured domains, finite strains are addressed and elastic nonlinearity is included via a neo-Hookean strain energy potential. The governing equations and boundary conditions are derived; an incremental energy minimization approach is advocated for prediction of equilibrium microstructural morphologies under quasi-static loading protocols. Aspects of the theory are analysed in detail for a material element undergoing simple shear deformation. Exact analytical and/or one-dimensional numerical solutions are obtained in dimensionless form for stress states, stability criteria and order parameter profiles at localized fractures or twinning zones. For sufficient applied strain, the relative likelihood of localized twinning vs. localized fracture is found to depend only on the ratio of twin boundary surface energy to fracture surface energy. Predicted criteria for shear stress-driven fracture or twinning are often found to be in closer agreement with test data for several types of real crystals than those based on the concept of theoretical strength.     

TEM investigation of the formation mechanism of deformation twins in Fe–Mn–Si–Al TWIP steels

The microstructure of a Fe–Mn–Si–Al twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steel exhibiting remarkable work hardening rate under uniaxial tensile deformation was investigated using transmission electron microscopy to uncover the mechanism(s) controlling the nucleation and growth of the mechanically induced twins. The results show that the stair-rod cross-slip deviation mechanism is necessary for the formation of the twins, while large extrinsic stacking faults homogenously distributed within the grains could act as preferential sources for the activation of the deviation process. The influence of such features on the thickness and strength of the twins and the resulting mechanical behaviour is discussed and compared to similar works recently performed on Fe–Mn–C TWIP steels.     

Crystal Structure of Ammonium Catena‐polyphosphate IV [NH4PO3]x

Phase‐pure ammonium catena‐polyphosphate IV [NH₄PO₃]_x was synthesized by heating NH₄H₂PO₄ in a tube furnace under an ammonia gas flow. The product contained single crystals of [NH₄PO₃]_x IV appropriate for an X‐ray structure determination enabling structure refinement of this compound. The pseudo‐merohedrally twinned crystals of [NH₄PO₃]_x crystallize in the monoclinic crystal system (P2₁/c, no. 14, a = 2270.3(5), b = 458.14(9), c = 1445.1(3) pm, β = 108.56(3)°, Z = 4, 2264 data, R1 = 0.076). In the unit cell the catena‐polyphosphate chain anions run parallel [010] with a chain‐periodicity P = 2 and a stretching factor f_s = 0.94. The chain anions are interconnected through extensive hydrogen bonding towards the ammonium ions. Due to ‘chemical twinning’ a novel catena‐polyphosphate structure type is realized in [NH₄PO₃]_x IV. The vibrational spectra of [NH₄PO₃]_x IV are reported as well.