Whisker growth within single crystals of magnesium oxide

Abstract
Precipitates in heat-treated crystals of impure magnesium oxide have been studied by optical microscopy, electron microscopy and electron probe micro-analysis. Whisker-shaped precipitates up to 70 μm long have been identified as CaOZrO2 containing small amounts of Ti and Fe in solution, while plate-like precipitates (maximum diameter 1 μm) have been tentatively identified as ZrO2. Precipitates in ‘as-received’ Zr-doped MgO were identified as ZrO2, and after heat treatment whiskers up to 200 μm long were observed. The directions of growth of the CaOZrO2 whiskers in MgO have been determined and can be accounted for in terms of the crystallography of the precipitates and matrix.

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