Sintering behaviour and translucency of dense Eu_2O_3 ceramics

摘要

Eu_2O_3 ceramics have been obtained at sintering temperatures of between 1000 °C and 1550 °C. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, in combination with dilatometry experiments, allowed understanding the sintering behaviour. Moderate grain growth followed an efficient densi-fication process between 1400 °C and 1550 °C, which yielded high-density ceramics with an average grain size of 4 μm. The ceramics had Young modulus of 125 GPa, in agreement with the previously published data. The dense Eu_2O_3 ceramics were translucent (35.1 % transmittancc at 800 nm of 0.8 mm thick discs), showing in addition a slightly pink colour. We propose that the combination of high density and an average grain size of 4 μm is responsible for this novel functionality.