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Module3:
Lecture11:MaterialProperties:TheRoleofCrystalStructure

AdvantagesofSingleCrystal

SinglecrystalshavebetteropticalandelectronicpropertiesthanthePolycrystals.Thetable
below shows the improvement of piezoelectric properties of single crystals visavis the
conventionalpolycrystals.Howeverthepropertiesareverymuchdependentonthedirection
ofcrystalcut.

Material Cut freestrain d31pC/N

Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3
111 900 83

Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3
001 3600 1100

PMNPT 001 3100 1240
PMNPT(Polycrystal) 690
PbNb2O6(Polycrystal)
560 11

PZT(Polycrystal) 1130 119

It is not always possible to develop single crystals, and even if it is possible, single crystals are
generally quite expensive to develop. These are mostly carried out by cooling the material from
liqudphaseusingthefollowingtechniques.

1.byfirstfreezingtheliquidphaseatthelowestpointofthemelt
2.orbyfreezingtheuppersurfaceofamelt
3.byusingflamefusionmethod

A popular technique in this direction is known as Crystal Pulling technique, also termed as
Inthistechniquethemeltiskeptatatemperaturejustabovethefreezingpoint.
Czochralskimethod.
A seed crystal is lowered down with the help of a rotating tube. Air is passed through the tube to
extract heat in a controlled way. The tube is slowly withdrawn and upto 90% of a melt can be
convertedintoasinglecrystalform.

Often superalloys are casted in the form of single crystal to increase the creep and oxidation
resistance.InasuperalloyofNiAlTisystem,twotypesofcrystalstructuresdevelopasocalled'y'
phase in which each element forms its own face centred cubic lattice and a 'y / ' phase in which
AluminiumorTitaniumatomsremainatthecornerofthecubes,whereastheNickelatomsoccupy
/
the centres of the faces. The presence of both 'y' and 'y ' phases in
/
an usual polycrystalline
superalloymakesitcreepsensitive.Forasinglecrystalstructure,the'y 'phaseisabsentrendering
averyhighcrrepresistancetothematerial

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