Density functional study of structures and mechanical properties of Y-doped alpha-SiAlONs

Author(s)
Lubomir Benco, Juergen Hafner, Zoltan Lences, Pavol Sajgalik
Abstract

2 x 2 x 1 supercell of alpha-Si3N4 is used to model Y-doped alpha-SiAlON's(silicoalumino oxonitrides). Ab initio total energy calculations are performed at the DFT (GGA) level. A full relaxation of atomic positions is performed for stoichiometric alpha-SbN4 and for a series of substituted structures with concentrations of Y, Al and O increasing up to the composition Y0.5Si9.5Al2.5O1.0N15.0, similar to the observed solubility limits. The avoidance of neighboring AlX4 (X = N,O) tetrahedra in highly doped structures indicates that the distribution of Al atoms in the framework of (X-SiAlON's obeys the same Loewenstein rule as in aluminosilicate zeolite structures. An increase of the lattice parameters and cell volumes is observed with increasing degree of the doping. Changes are more pronounced for the insertion of Y than for Si-N/Al-O substitution. An introduction of a Y3+, cation into the interstitial position in the cage, however, causes a local contraction of the structure. Via the contraction a more efficient Y-N bonding is formed, leading to the stabilization of the Y-doped structure. The pronounced increase of the cell volume and the lattice parameters with Y-doping is due to three framework AVSi framework substitutions compensating the extraframework Y3+ cation. The calculated bulk modulus (B-0) ranges from 223 GPa for pure alpha-Si3N4 to 197 GPa for Y0.5Si9.5Al2.5O1.0N15.0. The slope of the decrease of B-0 with the degree of doping depends on the Y-content. For constant concentration of Y an increasing content of O causes a linear decrease of B-0.

Organisation(s)
Computational Materials Physics
External organisation(s)
Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
Journal
Journal of the European Ceramic Society / European Ceramic Society. Journal
Volume
28
Pages
995-1002
No. of pages
8
ISSN
0955-2219
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2007.09.030
Publication date
2008
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103015 Condensed matter
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/density-functional-study-of-structures-and-mechanical-properties-of-ydoped-alphasialons(67b11d52-b269-42d3-a649-5dde7d98b928).html