The solubility limit of SiO2 in α-alumina at 1600°C

• DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2014.05.005
• Publication Date: 2014-05-23T16:03:22Z
• Authors: Ruth Moshe; Alex Berner; Wayne D. Kaplan
• Keywords: Solid solubility

The solubility limit of Si in α-alumina was measured using wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy on a scanning electron microscope. Samples were doped with Si such that the equilibrated material would contain two phases: mullite (3Al 2 O 3 ·2SiO 2 ) and alumina saturated with Si. Thus the amount of Si measured in the alumina grains represents the solubility limit. Measurements were conducted on water-quenched and furnace-cooled samples. For the quenched samples the Si solubility limit in Al 2 O 3 was found to be 188 ± 7 ppm at 1600 °C.