Influences of Laser Ablation Processes on Solubility and Crystallizability of Al_2O_3-ZrO_2 Nanopowders

The influences of laser ablation processes on the solubility and the crystallizability of laser evaporated Al2O3-ZrO2 nanopowders were studied by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscope and high resolution electron microscope (HREM). Results indicate that ZrO2 crystalline lattice with an increasing solid solubility exhibits larger disorder. Increasing air pressure in the sample chamber favors the formation of amorphous ZrO2. Amorphous ZrO2 consists of Zr-O-Zr (Al) clusters with short-range order but long-range disorder. The Zr-O and Zr-Zr (Al) interatomic distances in amorphous ZrO2 are shorter and the disorder of amorphous ZrO2 is larger than that of crystalline Al2O3-ZrO2 solid solutions.