Domain structure and phase transition in Sc-doped zirconia

The temperature dependence of the domain structure associated with the ferroelastic phase transition (Fm (3) over barm reversible arrow R (3) over barm) in ZrO2 doped with 11% Sc2O3 has been determined from a peak shape analysis of high-resolution synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction data. In the temperature region of coexisting phases the observed characteristic anisotropic broadening and asymmetry of the lines is modelled by three different phases: a main rhombohedral phase, a distorted rhombohedral phase with a smaller c/a ratio, and a cubic phase. The latter two are assigned to the internal structure of the domain walls between two adjacent twin domains. The size and amount of the cubic phase show an initially slow increase with temperature followed by a very steep increase and a slow one after that. The size of the (main) rhombohedral domains remains nearly constant, while (micro-) strain in the distorted regions gradually decreases.