Fabrication and characterization of transparent ceramics for multiple applications

• Main Author: Wee, Cheryl Jiaxian
• Other Authors: Kong Ling Bing
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Materials
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/73741
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Transparent ceramics being known for its flexibility to be doped with different elements with excellent transmittance have been widely used as a solid state lasers application. This work serves to evaluate how the shape of Alumina powder used will affect the transparency of the YAG ceramics via solid-state reaction followed by vacuum sintering to produce the final transparent ceramics. The samples are then polished and characterized using tools like Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and UV-vis Spectroscopy. Based on the microstructure of the samples, we determined the porosity, grain size and the in-line optical transmittance of the samples, which are crucial factors considered when producing transparent ceramics. It was found that after vacuum sintering, samples of Nd:YAG ceramics fabricated with commercial used Alumina powder faired better in transparency than the spherical Alumina powder.