Temperature and stress induced changes of the vibrational response of cubic and rhombohedral 10 mol%Sc2O3–1 mol%CeO2–ZrO2 ceramics

The vibration response of cubic and rhombohedral (β) 10 mol%Sc2O3–1 mol%CeO2–ZrO2 (Sc0.1Ce0.01ZrO2) both at room and high-temperatures is reported. The in situ heating experiments and ex situ indentation experiments were performed to characterize the vibrational behavior of these important materials. A temperature and stress-assisted phase transition from cubic to rhombohedral phase was detected during in situ Raman spectroscopy experiments. While heating and indentation experiments performed separately did not cause the transition of the cubic phase into the rhombohedral structure under the performed experimental conditions and only broadened or strained peaks of the cubic phase could be detected, the heating of the indented (strained) surface leaded to the formation of the rhombohedral Sc0.1Ce0.01ZrO2. Both temperature range and strained zone were estimated by in situ heating and 2D mapping, where a formation of rhombohedral or retention of cubic phase has been promoted.