Journal
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
Volume 25, Issue 20, Pages 4017-4024Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/cm401953d
Keywords
transparent polycrystalline ceramic; Sr3Al2O6; Sr3Ga2O6 glass; crystallization; luminescent materials
Funding
- French ANR under the project CrystOG [ANR-12-JS08-0002-01]
- Junta de Andalucia [FQM6090]
- Spanish MINECO [MAT2012-34919]
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) [ANR-12-JS08-0002] Funding Source: Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR)
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The highly visible and infrared (up to 6 mu m) transparent Sr3Al2O6 polycrystalline ceramic was obtained by full crystallization of the corresponding glass composition. The glass synthesis and the direct congruent crystallization processes are described, and the material transparency is discussed in light of its microstructure. This new transparent ceramic exhibits a high density (i.e., complete absence of porosity) and micrometer-scale crystallites with very thin grain boundaries. These microstructural characteristics, inherent to the preparation method, minimize light scattering and demonstrate the advantages of this synthesis route compared to the high-pressure process used for the few reported transparent polycrystalline materials. This Sr3Al2O6 ceramic shows a H = 10.5 GPa hardness, a E-r = 150 GPa reduced elasticity modulus, and a 9.6 x 10(-6) K-1 thermal expansion coefficient. Such a transparent strontium aluminate ceramic opens the way to a wide range of applications, especially photonics when doped by various doping agents. As examples, the luminescence of Sr3Al2O6:Eu3+ and Sr3Al2O6:Er3+, which show strong emissions in the visible and infrared ranges, respectively, is presented. Moreover, the Sr3Al2O6:Ce3+ material was found to exhibit scintillation properties under X-ray excitation. Interestingly, the analogous Sr3Ga2O6 transparent polycrystalline ceramic material could equally be prepared using the same elaboration method, although its hygroscopicity prevents the preservation of its high transparency under normal conditions. The establishment of the key factors for the transparency of this economical and innovative synthesis method should enable the prediction of new classes of technologically relevant transparent ceramics.
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