X-ray peak profile analysis of solid-state sintered alumina doped zinc oxide ceramics by Williamson-Hall and size-strain plot methods

ZnO doped with different concentrations of Al2O3 (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 wt%) is prepared by conventional solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction results revealed that the samples were crystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite phase. As the concentration of alumina (Al2O3) increases in ZnO, the X-ray diffraction peaks shifts towards higher angle. This shifting in peak position and decrease in intensity reflect that Al is successfully replaced Zn in ZnO matrix. X-ray peak broadening analysis was used to evaluate the crystallite size and lattice strain by the Williamson-Hall (W-H) method and size-strain plot (SSP) method. The physical parameters such as strain, stress, and energy density values were also calculated using W-H method with different models namely uniform deformation model, uniform stress deformation model and uniform deformation energy density model. The surface morphology and elemental analysis of the prepared samples were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectra.