Evaluation of microstructural parameters of nanocrystalline Y₂O₃ by X-ray diffraction peak broadening analysis

Nanocrystalline Y₂O₃ was synthesized by a modified combustion technique using a mixture of glycine and citric acid as fuel. The microstructural characterization of resultant powder was carried out by means of XRD. A detailed investigation was conducted on the XRD peak broadening of Y₂O₃ using Williamson-Hall method by assuming three models namely uniform deformation model, uniform stress deformation model, and uniform energy density deformation model. The crystallite size, lattice strain, lattice deformation stress, and lattice deformation energy density of Y₂O₃ were determined from the plots. The internal stresses and internal strains in the crystallites were estimated according to Griffith model with the help of dislocation density obtained from XRD analysis. The observed lattice contraction of nanocrystalline Y₂O₃ was ascribed to the surface stress, which was further used for estimating surface strain and surface energy. TEM analysis also included to compare the results. - Highlights: • Nano Y₂O₃ is synthesized by mixed fuel combustion technique. • Characterization using XRD to estimate the microstructural properties. • Size dependent studies of lattice parameter, surface stress, strain and energy.