On the coalescence, twinning and solid solution of CeO2-ZrO2 condensates

Cubic (c-) and/or tetragonal (t-) CeO2-ZrO2 solid solution condensates were formed by laser ablation deposition on carbon-coated collodion film in air and studied by analytical electron microscopy with regards to the coalescence and twinning of the condensates. The c-CeO2 condensates dissolved slightly with Zr4+ were found to form cube-octahedra, coalescencing over {111} or {100} contact planes to be in unity. Besides, {111} tabular overlaid with octahedron were twinned over a specific {111} plane, suggesting Brownian type coalescencing-rotation of the c-CeO2 crystallites over {111} contact plane. Twinning by oriented attachment on {111} can be rationalized by the anchorage position of the f.c.c. cation sublattice for c-fluorite structure. Imperfect oriented attachment of the condensates commonly caused defects and distorted lattice planes close to the interface.