Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-m9kch Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-05T11:30:20.127Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Investigation of grain boundaries for abnormal grain growth in polycrystalline SrTiO3

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Shao-Ju Shih ,
Sergio Lozano-Perez  and
David J.H. Cockayne
David J.H. Cockayne*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PH, United Kingdom
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: david.cockayne@materials.ox.ac.uk
Get access

Abstract

Strontium titanate (SrTiO3) is widely used in electronic devices, and it is a model material for understanding the structural and dielectric properties of grain boundaries (GBs). In such materials, the GBs often play a dominant role in sintering and microstructural behavior. Abnormal grain growth (AGG) is a commonly observed phenomenon. Most studies explained that GBs contain continuous liquid films, and this liquid assists interface diffusion resulting in fast growth. However, few studies investigate the AGG behavior without any liquid. In this study, GB morphology and chemistry have been characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and x-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry, respectively. Different distributions of GB morphology have been observed in abnormal grains and matrix grains, and GB chemistry varies with different morphological type GBs. By correlating GB morphology and chemistry, a possible mechanism for AGG is proposed.

Keywords

Chemical compositionGrain boundariesTransmission electron microscopy (TEM)
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 25 , Issue 2 , February 2010 , pp. 260 - 265
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Takahash, T., Iwahara, H.Ionic conduction in perovskite-type oxide solid solution and its application to solid electrolyte fuel cell. Energy Convers. 11, 105 (1971)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Minh, N.Q.Ceramic fuel-cells. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 76, 563 (1993)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Shen, H., Song, Y.W., Gu, H., Wang, P.C., Xi, Y.M.A high-permittivity SrTiO3-based grain boundary barrier layer capacitor material single-fired under low temperature. Mater. Lett. 56, 802 (2002)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Chang, H.Y., Cheng, S.Y., Sheu, C.I., Wang, Y.H.Core-shell structure of strontium titanate self-grown by a hydrothermal process for use in grain boundary barrier layers. Nanotechnology 14, 603 (2003)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Fujimoto, M., Chiang, Y.M., Roshko, A., Kingery, W.D.Microstructure and electrical-properties of sodium-diffused and potassium-diffused SrTiO3 barrier-layer capacitors exhibiting varistor behavior. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 68, C300 (1985)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Chung, S.Y., Lee, B.K., Kang, S.J.L.Core-shell structure formation in Nb2O5-doped SrTiO3 by oxygen partial pressure change. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 81, 3016 (1998)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Arlt, G., Hennings, D., Dewith, G.Dielectric-properties of fine-grained barium-titanate ceramics. J. Appl. Phys. 58, 1619 (1985)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Peng, C.J., Chiang, Y.M.Grain-growth in donor-doped SrTiO3. J. Mater. Res. 5, 1237 (1990)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.Bae, C., Park, J.G., Kim, Y.H., Jeon, H.Abnormal grain growth of niobium-doped strontium titanate ceramics. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 81, 3005 (1998)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Chung, S.Y., Kang, S.J.L.Intergranular amorphous films and dislocations-promoted grain growth in SrTiO3. Acta Mater. 51, 2345 (2003)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Shih, S.J., Bishop, C.M., Cockayne, D.J.H.Distribution of Σ3 misorientations in polycrystalline strontium titanate. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 29, 3023 (2009)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12.Dillon, S.J., Tang, M., Carter, W.C., Harmer, M.P.Complexion: A new concept for kinetic engineering in materials science. Acta Mater. 55, 6208 (2007)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.Chung, S.Y., Kang, S.J.L., Dravid, V.P.Effect of sintering atmosphere on grain boundary segregation and grain growth in niobium-doped SrTiO3. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 85, 2805 (2002)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Lee, S.B., Sigle, W., Rühle, M.Faceting behavior of an asymmetric SrTiO3 Σ5 001 tilt grain boundary close to its defaceting transition. Acta Mater. 51, 4583 (2003)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.Choi, S.Y., Kang, S.J.L.Sintering kinetics by structural transition at grain boundaries in barium titanate. Acta Mater. 52, 2937 (2004)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Jo, W., Kim, D.Y., Hwang, N.M.Effect of interface structure on the microstructural evolution of ceramics. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 89, 2369 (2006)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17.Chan, N.H., Sharma, R.K., Smyth, D.M.Non-stoichiometry in SrTiO3. J. Electrochem. Soc. 128, 1762 (1981)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Witek, S., Smyth, D.M., Pickup, H.Variability of the Sr/Ti ratio in SrTiO3. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 67, 372 (1984)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Cahn, J.W.The impurity-drag effect in grain boundary motion. Acta Metall. 10, 789 (1962)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20.Bäurer, M., Kungl, H., Hoffmann, M.J.Influence of Sr/Ti stoichiometry on the densification behavior of strontium titanate. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 92, 601 (2009)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21.Shih, S.J.Nanometre-scaled structural studies of strontium titanate by electron microscopy and microanalysis. Ph.D. Thesis, Oxford University 2009Google Scholar
22.Saylor, D.M., El Dasher, B., Sano, T., Rohrer, G.S.Distribution of grain boundaries in SrTiO3 as a function of five macroscopic parameters. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 87, 670 (2004)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23.Blendell, J.E., Carter, W.C., Handwerker, C.A.Faceting and wetting transitions of anisotropic interfaces and grain boundaries. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 82, 1889 (1999)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
24.Yoon, D.Y., Cho, Y.K.Roughening transition of grain boundaries in metals and oxides. J. Mater. Sci. 40, 861 (2005)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
25.Wolf, D.Correlation between structure, energy, and ideal cleavage fracture for symmetrical grain-boundaries in Fcc metals. J. Mater. Res. 5, 1708 (1990)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26.Bäurer, M., Shih, S.J., Bishop, C.M., Harmer, M.P., Cockayne, D.J.H., Hoffmann, M.J.Abnormal grain growth in undoped strontium titanate. Acta Mater. 58, 290 (2010)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
27.Bäurer, M., Weygand, D., Gumbsch, P., Hoffmann, M.J.Grain growth anomaly in strontium titanate. Scr. Mater. 61, 584 (2009)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28.Waser, R., Hagenbeck, R.Grain boundaries in dielectric and mixed-conducting ceramics. Acta Mater. 48, 797 (2000)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29.Hutt, S., Kostlmeier, S., Elsasser, C.Density functional study of the Σ3 (111) [11―0] symmetrical tilt grain boundary in SrTiO3. J. Phys. Condens. Matter 13, 3949 (2001)CrossRefGoogle Scholar