e mean maximal chord intercept of the TiO2 precipitates, mean parameter of the cross-section and longitudinal e section of the TiO2 precipitates. All samples were oriented ⊥ to the growth direction.
factor a describes the elongation of the ‘particle’ cross-section and factor b represents the development of boundaries between the ‘particle’ e the TiO2 phase and the MnTiO3 matrix phase; a ¼ (dmax)/ d2, b ¼ p/(pd2), where p is the TiO2 particle perimeter. In Fig. 4d, e, f the shape factors a and b are shown for the oval TiO2 particles for samples grown with three different pulling rates: 0.15, 0.45 and 10 mm/min, and cut perpendicularly to the growth direction. In all cases, independent of the pulling rate, a increases slightly faster than b with the increase of the particle size. This shows that with the increase of the particle size, the particles tend
rather to elongate than to become more complicated in shape which increases the boundary between the particle and the surrounding matrix. Both a and b increase faster with the increase of d2 for higher pulling rates. On carefully taken BSE SEM images one can notice slightly different coloration tones of the two kinds of TiO2 precipitates (Fig. 5a), and also that thin TiO2 lamellas often are incorporated into the oval precipitates. This is also very clear on specially prepared samples, etched and then covered with a 60 nm thin layer of silver, Fig. 5b. Neither X-ray diffraction nor scanning electron microscopy
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Fig. 4. Quantitative analysis of the MnTiO3eTiO2 microstructure: aec) Minimal/maximal intercept chord, dmin and dmax, as a function of equivalent diameter of the particle, d2, for the MnTiO3eTiO2 eutectic grown with three different pulling rates: 0.15, 0.45 and 10 mm/min, d-f) Shape factors a and b as a function of the equivalent diameter, d2, for the MnTiO3eTiO2 eutectic grown with three different pulling rates: 0.15, 0.45 and 10 mm/min.
show any phase other than MnTiO3 and TiO2 in this eutectic, so the two coloration tones belong to the same material e TiO2 in the form of rutile as indicated also by diffraction patterns of high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The HRTEM measurements revealed that the two kinds of TiO2 precipitates, which correspond to two colorations on SEM images, have different crystallographic orientations. These are: (i) the TiO2 faceted lamellas, which grow in [010] direction with atomically smooth interfaces, and (ii) the oval TiO2 precipitates, which grow in [001] orientation. The HRTEM images have been obtained from the TiO2 phase forming oval inclusions and the thin TiO2 lamella interconnecting them (Fig. 5c, d). In order to see it clearly in the image, a short interconnecting lamella (‘bridge’) of TiO2 has been chosen for investigations (Fig. 5c). In Fig. 5d the area where the TEM measurements have been performed is shown. The TiO2 ‘bridge’, TiO2 oval precipitates and MnTiO3 matrix are indicated. MnTiO3 matrix material was etched by ion polishing process during TEM sample preparation, which explains why this phase has not been observed by TEM at this particular place. Only one kind of boundary was observed in MnTiO3eTiO2 eutectic, where the two phases are in contact and no amorphous layer was observed between them (boundary between MnTiO3 phase and TiO2 phase). The HRTEM images of (01 0)TiO2//(1 01)TiO2 interfaces were taken along the [001] TiO2 zone axis (Fig. 5g), and along [010] TiO2 zone axis (Fig. 5h). These images clearly show that the TiO2 [010] lamellas grow in perpendicular orientations to the oval precipitates of the TiO2 [001] phase. According to Hunt and Jackson's theory [30], which has been developed on the basis of metalemetal eutectics, the kind of the microstructure obtained strongly depends on the entropy of melting of both phases. As a reference, the entropy of melting in dimensionless units is often used, c ¼ DS/Rg (DS e entropy of melting [molKJ1], Rg ¼ 8.314472 (15) [Jmol1K1] e gas constant). For c < 2 for both eutectic phases the non-faceted/non-
faceted microstructure is expected; for c < 2 for only one of the two phases the non-faceted/faceted microstructure is predicted, while for c > 2 for both phases growth of independent crystals of both phases should be observed. In the case of the TiO2 phase c ¼ 3.7 [23], which suggests faceted growth of this phase. In the case of an SrTiO3eTiO2 eutectic which has been reported previously [23], faceted TiO2 precipitates have been observed. In that eutectic TiO2 inclusions grew in the [001] crystallographic orientation in which TiO2 (rutile, space group P42/mnm) has a 4-fold screw axis. The precipitates had shapes strongly resembling tetragonal symmetry. The volume fraction of TiO2 phase there was much larger. In the case of MnTiO3eTiO2 eutectic, clearly faceted TiO2 lamellas are observed as well as the oval precipitates which at the interface with the MnTiO3 phase seem to be non-faceted, Fig. 5i. This indicates that, for such complex compounds as oxides which often have c > 2, the theory has to be further developed in order to take into account other parameters. Hopefully numerical methods will play an increasing role in enabling prediction of the eutectic microstructure in the future [31e33]. The lamellas grow in the [010] orientation in which a 2-fold axis is present, while the oval precipitates grow in the [001] orientation in which the 4-fold screw axis is present. No clear influence of the symmetry of the atomic lattice on the formed precipitates is observed in the MnTiO3eTiO2 eutectic. In order to investigate interface coherency Inverse Fast Fourier Transformation (IFFT) analysis was performed (Fig. 5e). Bragg images were created using parallel frequencies gTiO2(101) and gTiO2(010) to the boundary plane. The interface (010)TiO2(bridge)// (101)TiO2(oval shapes) is incoherent as confirmed by the presence of dense misfit dislocations, Fig. 5e. The calculated lattice mismatch for this interface is 45%. Interface between TiO2 (oval shapes) and MnTiO3 phases is shown in Fig. 5f. IFFT analysis of (111)TiO2// (115)MnTiO3 interface shows semi-coherency with angle boundary
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Fig. 5. Two crystallographic orientations of two types of TiO2 precipitates in the MnTiO3eTiO2 eutectic indicated by SEM and HRTEM: a) Back-scattered electron SEM image; b) Back-scattered-electron SEM image of a eutectic sample, partially etched by hydrochloric acid and covered with a 60 nm layer of silver, which enabled a clearer view of the two kinds of precipitates; c) SEM image of the MnTiO3eTiO2 eutectic microstructure, ⊥ growth direction, presenting two kinds of TiO2 precipitates e oval precipitates and layers; d) TEM image revealing a ‘bridge’ (layer/lamella) and two oval precipitates area further investigated with HRTEM, e) and f) Bragg image created using parallel frequency gTiO2(101) and gTiO2(010) to the boundary plane; e) The array of misfit dislocations (white arrows) with the average spacing of TiO2 1d(101); d) Angle boundary of 17 at TiO2//MnTiO3 interface; g) and h) HRTEM images of the (01 0)TiO2//(1 01)TiO2 interfaces between the oval precipitate and the ‘bridge’; i) HRTEM images of the (111)TiO2//(115)MnTiO3 interface observed in another place of the sample.
of 17 The calculated lattice mismatch for this interface is 12%.
demonstrated elsewhere.
4. Conclusions
Acknowledgment
A eutectic from a MnOeTiO2 system has been grown by the micro-pulling-down method. Four different pulling rates were applied: 0.15, 0.45, 5, and 10 mm/min. As investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, two phases have been formed: MnTiO3 and TiO2 in the form of rutile. The TiO2 phase forms a 3-D network of interconnected oval precipitates interconnected with each other by thin lamellas and this interconnected structure is embedded in the MnTiO3 phase. The two different TiO2 precipitates grow in two crystallographic orientations perpendicular to each other: oval precipitates [001] and lamellas [010]. The results obtained in the present study demonstrate a new hybrid composite material obtained by the self-organization mechanism, which is easily available in millimeter-scale pieces, and potentially scalable. The MnTiO3eTiO2 mixed composite material made of two semiconducting phases with bandgaps enabling absorption of UVeVis wavelengths and with both phases extending in a connected way across the whole sample may be a promising material for application in photoelectrochemical cells. There is therefore more scope for further investigation here, and the analysis of photoelectrochemical properties of this composite will be
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