The grain growth behavior in the (1-x)K_0.5Na_0.5NbO₃-xCaZrO₃ (KNNCZ-x) system is studied as a function of the amount of CZ and grain shape. The (1-x)K_0.5Na_0.5NbO₃-xCaZrO₃ (KNNCZ-x) powders are synthesized using a conventional solid-state reaction method. A single orthorhombic phase is observed at x = 0 – 0.03. However, rhombohedral and orthorhombic phases are observed at x = 0.05. The grain growth behavior changes from abnormal grain growth to the suppression of grain growth as the amount of CaZrO₃ (CZ) increases. With increasing CZ content, grains become more faceted, and the step-free energy increases. Therefore, the critical growth driving force increases. The grain size distribution broadens with increasing sintering time in KNNCZ-0.05. As a result, some large grains with a driving force larger than the critical driving force for growth exhibit abnormal grain growth behavior during sintering. Therefore, CZ changes the grain growth behavior and microstructure of KNN. Grain growth at the faceted interface of the KNNCZ system occurs via two-dimensional nucleation and growth.

The grain growth behavior of M-type Sr hexaferrite (SrM) grains is investigated with the addition of MnCO₃. First, the SrM powder is synthesized by a conventional solid-state reaction. The powder compacts of SrM are sintered at 1250°C for 2 h with various amounts of MnCO₃ (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 4.0 mol%). There is no secondary solid phase in any of the sintered samples. Relative density increases when MnCO₃ is added to the SrM. Obvious abnormal grain growth does not appear in any of the SrM samples with MnCO₃. The average grain size increases when 0.5 mol% MnCO₃ is added to the SrM. However, as the amount of MnCO₃ increase to over 0.5 mol%, the average grain size decreases. These observations allow us to conclude that the growth of SrM grains is governed by the two-dimensional nucleation grain growth mechanism, and the critical driving force for the growth of a grain decreases as the amount of MnCO₃ increases.

Grain-growth behavior in the 95Na_1/2Bi_1/2TiO₃-5BaTiO₃ (mole fraction, NBT-5BT) system has been investigated with the addition of Na₂CO₃. When Na₂CO₃ is added to NBT-5BT, the growth rate is higher than desired and grains are already impinging each other during the initial stage of sintering. The grain size decreases as the sintering temperature increases. With the addition of Na₂CO₃, a liquid phase infiltrates the interfaces between grains during sintering. The interface structure can be changed to be more faceted and the interface migration rate can increase due to fast material transport through the liquid phase. As the sintering temperature increases, the impingement of abnormal grains increases because the number of abnormal grains increases. Therefore, the average grain size of abnormal grains can be decreased as the temperature increases. The phenomenon can provide evidence that grain coarsening in NBT-5BT with addition of Na₂CO₃ is governed by the growth of facet planes, which would occur via mixed control.

Citations

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• Growth of single crystals in the (Na1/2Bi1/2)TiO3–(Sr1–xCax)TiO3 system by solid state crystal growth
  Phan Gia Le, Huyen Tran Tran, Jong-Sook Lee, John G. Fisher, Hwang-Pill Kim, Wook Jo, Won-Jin Moon
  Journal of Advanced Ceramics.2021; 10(5): 973.     CrossRef
• Sintering Behavior of M-type Sr-Hexaferrite by MnCO₃ Addition
  MinSeok Jeong, Changjae You, Jung Young Cho, Kyoung-Seok Moon
  Journal of Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute.2020; 27(2): 126.     CrossRef