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Evolution of Free Volumes in Polycrystalline BaGa<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Ceramics Doped with Eu<sup>3+</sup> Ions
oleh: Halyna Klym, Ivan Karbovnyk, Andriy Luchechko, Yuriy Kostiv, Viktorija Pankratova, Anatoli I. Popov
Format: | Article |
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Diterbitkan: | MDPI AG 2021-12-01 |
Deskripsi
BaGa<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> ceramics doped with Eu<sup>3+</sup> ions (1, 3 and 4 mol.%) were obtained by solid-phase sintering. The phase composition and microstructural features of ceramics were investigated using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy in comparison with energy-dispersive methods. Here, it is shown that undoped and Eu<sup>3+</sup>-doped BaGa<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> ceramics are characterized by a developed structure of grains, grain boundaries and pores. Additional phases are mainly localized near grain boundaries creating additional defects. The evolution of defect-related extended free volumes in BaGa<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> ceramics due to the increase in the content of Eu<sup>3+</sup> ions was studied using the positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy technique. It is established that the increase in the number of Eu<sup>3+</sup> ions in the basic BaGa<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> matrix leads to the agglomeration of free-volume defects with their subsequent fragmentation. The presence of Eu<sup>3+</sup> ions results in the expansion of nanosized pores and an increase in their number with their future fragmentation.