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Rapid phase mapping in heat‐treated powder mixture of alumina and magnesia utilizing cathodoluminescence
Author(s) -
Imashuku Susumu,
Ono Koichiro,
Wagatsuma Kazuaki
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
x‐ray spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.447
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1097-4539
pISSN - 0049-8246
DOI - 10.1002/xrs.2739
Subject(s) - cathodoluminescence , scanning electron microscope , materials science , spinel , analytical chemistry (journal) , phase (matter) , magnesium , luminescence , powder mixture , mineralogy , metallurgy , sintering , chemistry , composite material , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , chromatography
Scanning electron microscope – cathodoluminescence (SEM ‐ CL) analysis was carried out for the rapid phase identification of a single particle with the size of approximately 100 µm consisting of alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) and spinel (MgAl 2 O 4 ) phases. We selected this particle as the analyte because Al 2 O 3 and MgAl 2 O 4 are typical inclusions in steel, and their identification is important for steel production. Samples were prepared by pressing a mixture of Al 2 O 3 and magnesia (MgO) powders heated at 1300 °C and copper powder into a pellet. The formation of a MgAl 2 O 4 phase in the powder mixture of Al 2 O 3 and MgO heated at 1300 °C was confirmed by X‐ray diffraction analysis. CL images of samples were obtained using a camera attached to a SEM. We confirmed that Al 2 O 3 and MgAl 2 O 4 phases in a CL image produced blue and green luminescence, respectively, by comparing the CL image with elemental mappings of aluminum and magnesium in the sample obtained using an energy‐dispersive X‐ray detector attached to a SEM. We also observed the shift of a phase boundary between Al 2 O 3 and MgAl 2 O 4 with dozen micrometers scale by obtaining CL images of samples containing a mixture of Al 2 O 3 and MgO powders heated at 1300 °C with different heat‐treatment durations. The time required to obtain a CL image was 1 s. Thus, SEM‐CL analysis will contribute to the rapid phase identification of Al 2 O 3 and MgAl 2 O 4 in a single particle. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.