Liquid-liquid phase transition in supercooled yttria-alumina.
The structure and thermal characteristics of aerodynamically levitated samples of yttria-alumina in the liquid, supercooled liquid and solid phases were explored in an extensive series of high energy x-ray diffraction, small angle neutron scattering, and pyrometric cooling measurements. Particular focus was placed on the compound (Y2O3)(x)(Al2O3)(1-x) with x = 0.2 for which a liquid-liquid phase transition at a temperature of 1788 K has recently been reported. No structural or thermal signature in support of this metastable phase transition could be found.
Barnes
Adrian C
AC
H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TL, United Kingdom.
Skinner
Lawrie B
LB
Salmon
Philip S
PS
Bytchkov
Alexei
A
Pozdnyakova
Irina
I
Farmer
Thomas O
TO
Fischer
Henry E
HE