ISSN:
1573-4803
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
Notes:
Abstract The presence of amorphous grain-boundary phases in ceramic materials can significantly influence their properties. Such grain-boundary films can be identified by the dark-field diffuse scattering technique, the Fresnel fringe technique, and analytical electron microscopy (energy-dispersive spectroscopy). However, spectrum artefacts can present major problems for the use of such techniques. Specifically, grain-boundary grooving, surface damage of the specimen and silicon contamination are shown experimentally to arise from ion-milling during the preparation of TEM specimens. It is experimentally shown that, with the above techniques, these artefacts can cause grain-boundaries in commercial alumina specimens to appear to contain glassy phases. The ambiguity in interpreting the results from the use of each of these techniques is discussed in detail.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00551474
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