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The growth of highly perfect alumina platelets and other oxides by solvent vapour transport

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Abstract

Very thin, highly perfect crystals of α-alumina of dimensions 0.5 to 10 μm with areas up to 5 cm2 have been obtained by transport of alumina in the vapour phase during the evaporation of solutions of alumina in lead fluoride. The crystals always contain at least one twin plane and appear to be a unique form. Surfaces are typically free from macroscopic growth steps and no dislocations have been detected by etching or electron microscopy.

It is proposed that alumina transports via a gaseous complex and some evidence for growth of a VLS mechanism is presented. The presence of condensed lead compounds on the major (0001) surfaces evidently suppresses growth along the c-axis. Alumina transported by other vapour solvents tends to grow as a distinct bi-pyramidal form.

The transport of oxides in other solvent/solute systems has been investigated. While many systems show evidence of vapour phase transport the crystal products are small and the transport process inefficient compared with that of the Al2O3-PbF2 system.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, UK

    E. A. D. White & J. D. C. Wood

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  1. E. A. D. White
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  2. J. D. C. Wood
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White, E.A.D., Wood, J.D.C. The growth of highly perfect alumina platelets and other oxides by solvent vapour transport. J Mater Sci 9, 1999–2006 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00540549

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00540549

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