The Influence of Dopants in the Grain Size of Alumina - A Review

Abstract

Ceramic materials present interesting properties and generate products that meet engineering requirements referring to this class for several applications. Aluminum oxide is a very good example of this class of materials, being applied widely in high technology areas especially where the abrasive and erosive wear are strongly demanded. Many factors interfere on the wear of alumina: material composition, characteristics of the used oxides, and the manufacturing process that defines the final microstructure. It is know that the grain size of the alumina has a strong influence on the wear rate and is the focus of several studies. The grain growth during sintering as well as the diffusion process can be controlled by using dopants in the alumina composition. Thus the aim of this paper is to present a review about the dopants interference on the grain size of alumina, which in turn influences the wear behavior of the alumina. The results described allow broad understanding on the subject