Study of crystallite size and lattice strain by Williamson-Hall analysis in sintered Al2O3 - Fe2O3 ceramics

This study investigates the influence of hematite (Fe₂O₃) as a sintering aid in alumina-based (Al₂O₃) ceramics. Samples with Fe₂O₃ concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 8 wt.% were produced and sintered at 1400 °C. The structural characterization of the samples was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Crystallite size and lattice strain were calculated by the Debye-Scherrer and Williamson-Hall equations. The results showed that Fe₂O₃ addition fostered crystallite size increase in almost all compositions, leading to a distortion in the Al₂O₃ lattice. Furthermore, the increase in crystallite size resulted in a reduction in dislocation density within the ceramics. This work contributes to a better understanding of the Al₂O₃ – Fe₂O₃ system and its applications in advanced ceramic materials, highlighting the importance of proper composition in ceramics of this compound for optimizing the properties of these materials.