Deformation behaviour of iron-doped alumina

Compressive creep tests in air were carried out on 1 cat.% Fe-doped alumina at a temperature T=1400 °C. Iron doping affected the plastic deformation by different ways in relation with Fe2+ cations population. Fe2+ cations sped up the deformation rates. FeAl2O4 spinel precipitates were identified and they were found (i) to interact with alumina grain boundaries (ii) to limit the grain growth within a range of strain. The Fe2+ cations underwent oxidation and this resulted in the dissolution of the some precipitates and in the decrease of deformation rates. It was suggested that deformation sped up this evolution through mass transport and that time was not a dominating parameter.