Abstract

α-sialon is the isostructural derivative based on the a-silicon nitride (α-Si3N4) structure by partial replacement of Si by Al and N by O. The structure is considered to be stabilized by the incorporation into the large interstices (r=0.146nm) of a metal like Li, Mg, Ca and most small rareearths. Large rare-earth metal ions have been considered not to be able to enter the interstices in α-sialon structure until several recent successes in accommodating large cerium ions (r=0.103nm). This gives rise to questions of the location and distribution of these large cerium ions within the asialon structure. It has been found that α-sialon grains formed in Ce-Si-Al-O-N system are usually rich in a new structural defect which has been considered to be initiated specifically by the presence of cerium in the lattice. This new intergrown defect is identified as domain boundary in our present study by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

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