Phase metastability of nanosized α-Al2O3 crystallites

The reversal of the α- to θ-Al2O3 phase transformation and the induced microstructure evolution of boehmite-derived discrete nanosized α-crystallites are examined. Three categories of α-crystallites smaller than 100 nm were examined and found to have similar behavior: (1) pre-existing α-crystallites, (2) α-crystallites formed in situ during the calcination of θ-crystallites of sizes near the critical size, 25 nm, and (3) α-crystallites formed in situ by the thermal treatment of as-received θ-crystallites. The α-crystallite may transform back to the θ-phase above 800 °C. The backwards θ-crystallite may also re-transform to the α-phase again. Because of the density difference between α- and θ-Al2O3, the strain involved in the volume expansion and shrinkage during the phase transition eventually results in the formation of a twinned and/or mosaic structure for the θ- and α-crystallites. A strain release model representing the microstructure evolution of the α- to θ-phase and the θ- to α-Al2O3 phase transformation is proposed.