The melting behavior of lutetium aluminum perovskite LuAlO3

TL;DR

This study investigates the melting behavior of lutetium aluminum perovskite LuAlO3 through DTA measurements, revealing its eutectic melting point, peritectic melting characteristics, and the effects of reducing conditions on phase stability.

Contribution

The paper provides experimental data on LuAlO3 melting, confirms its peritectic melting point, and explores phase changes under reducing atmospheres, enhancing understanding of its thermodynamic properties.

Findings

LuAlO3 melts peritectically at around 1907°C.

Eutectic peak observed near x=0.44 on Lu-rich side.

Reducing conditions can produce liquid Al and new phase fields.

Abstract

DTA measurements with mixtures of aluminum oxide and lutetium oxide around the 1:1 perovskite composition were performed up to 1970 deg. C. A peak with onset 1901 deg C was due to the melting of the eutectic Lu4Al2O9 (monoclinic phase) and LuAlO3 (perovskite). Neither peritectic melting of the perovskite nor its decomposition in the solid phase could be resolved experimentally. The maximum of the eutectic peak size is near x=0.44, on the Lu-rich side of the perovskite, which is consistent with the conclusion that LuAlO3 melts peritectically at ca. 1907 deg. C as proposed by Wu, Pelton, J. Alloys Compd. 179 (1992) 259. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations reveal, that under strongly reducing conditions (oxygen partial pressure <10^{-13} bar) aluminum(III) oxide can be reduced to suboxides or even Al metal. It is shown that under such conditions a new phase field with liquid Al can appear.