New Massive Vapor‐Liquid‐Solid Deposition of α‐Al₂O₃ Fibers

In this work, it is described a newly featured massive Vapor-Liquid-Solid deposition process, in which the yield of conventional VLS reaction is increased in several orders of magnitude. Al2O3 fibers and crystals are here obtained from aluminum and silica in Ar atmospheres containing metal vapors and at low partial pressures of H2O. The relationship between the controlled incorporation of H2O(g) and the observed features of the alumina crystals (and of the VLS itself) is assessed in terms of the respective Al-Al2O3 and Si-SiO2 volatility diagrams.