X-ray peak profile analysis of solid-state sintered alumina doped zinc oxide ceramics by Williamson–Hall and size-strain plot methods

Figures & data

Table 1 Structural parameters of ZnO doped with different concentrations of alumina.

Alumina concentration (%)	Lattice parameters,		Volume, V (Å^3)	No. of unit cells in the particle, n
	a (Å)	c (Å)
2	3.274 ± 0.003	5.243 ± 0.004	48.67	41,775
4	3.268 ± 0.002	5.236 ± 0.005	48.42	33,022
6	3.264 ± 0.004	5.225 ± 0.003	48.23	20,514
8	3.254 ± 0.003	5.215 ± 0.002	47.82	17,146
10	3.248 ± 0.002	5.211 ± 0.004	47.60	13,628

Fig 1 X-ray diffraction patterns of ZnO doped with (a) 2% Al₂O₃; (b) 4% Al₂O₃; (c) 6% Al₂O₃; (d) 8% Al₂O₃ and (e) 10% Al₂O₃.

Table 2 Rietveld refinement results for ZnO doped with different concentrations of alumina.

Alumina concentration (%)	Lattice parameters (Å)	Volume (Å^3)	Rp (%)	Rwp (%)	Rexp (%)	GOF	RBragg (%)	χ^2	RF (%)
2	a = b = 3.2722(4)	48.57(4)	4.42	8.84	5.96	1.48	2.76	2.20	3.88
	c = 5.2382(5)
4	a = b = 3.2662(6)	48.30(5)	4.32	7.96	6.47	1.23	3.12	1.23	3.71
	c = 5.2286(3)
6	a = b = 3.2618(3)	48.13(4)	5.21	9.88	6.29	1.57	3.64	1.57	4.27
	c = 5.2238(2)
8	a = b = 3.2513(2)	47.72(4)	5.13	8.22	7.05	1.17	2.84	1.17	5.50
	c = 5.2136(2)
10	a = b = 3.2378(4)	47.28(5)	6.17	8.42	6.89	1.22	2.92	1.22	4.13
	c = 5.2082(5)

Fig. 2 Rietveld refinement analysis of XRD patterns of ZnO doped with (a) 2% Al₂O₃; (b) 4% Al₂O₃; (c) 6% Al₂O₃; (d) 8% Al₂O₃ and (e) 10% Al₂O₃.

Fig. 3 W–H analysis of ZnO doped with (a) 2% Al₂O₃; (b) 4% Al₂O₃; (c) 6% Al₂O₃; (d) 8% Al₂O₃ and (e) 10% Al₂O₃ assuming UDM.

Fig. 4 W–H plots of ZnO doped with (a) 2% Al₂O₃; (b) 4% Al₂O₃; (c) 6% Al₂O₃; (d) 8% Al₂O₃ and (e) 10% Al₂O₃ using USDM.

Fig. 5 W–H analysis of ZnO doped with (a) 2% Al₂O₃; (b) 4% Al₂O₃; (c) 6% Al₂O₃; (d) 8% Al₂O₃ and (e) 10% Al₂O₃ assuming UDEDM.

Fig. 6 Plot of (d_hkl β_hkl cos θ_hkl)² versus d_hkl² β_hkl cos θ_hkl.

Fig. 7 Variation of crystallite size (D) with alumina concentration obtained from Scherrer method.

Fig. 8 Variation of D, ε, σ and u with alumina concentration estimated from (a) UDM; (b) USDM; and (c) UDEDM.

Fig. 9 Variation of crystallite size (D) and strain (ε) with alumina concentration obtained from SSP method.

Fig. 10 FESEM images of ZnO doped with (a) 2% Al₂O₃; (b) 4% Al₂O₃; (c) 6% Al₂O₃; (d) 8% Al₂O₃ and (e) 10% Al₂O₃.