The interaction between basal-twin boundaries and a glassy phase in α-Alumina compacts
Understanding the nature of glass/crystalline interfaces is not only of fundamental scientific interest but is directly relevant to the liquid-phase sintering of polycrystalline ceramics such as α-alumina. Faceting behavior of alumina in the presence of SiO2 glass has been of much interest in the field of sintering with respect to the grain growth and the grain boundary mobility during sintering. The study of grain boundaries containing a glassy phase in alumina compacts is difficult however, since many of the TEM techniques presently available for the identification of a glassy phase at grain boundaries can give ambiguous results due to grain boundary grooving. A method for systematically studying glassy / crystalline interfaces without such ambiguity is therefore needed. Part of this study of the interaction of grain boundaries in alumina with an anorthite-based glassy phase is presented here.Previous systematic studies4 of different low-index surfaces of single crystal alumina showed that there is strong anisotropy in the faceting behavior of alumina and in the mobility of these facets in the presence of an anorthite-based glassy phase.