Effect of sintering atmospheres on the structure and properties of the 612 type barium-calcium-aluminate for the dispenser cathodes.

The effects of air, hydrogen, and CO 2 and O 2 mixture sintering atmospheres on the structure, micromorphology, electron emission capability and environmental stability of 612 type barium-calcium-aluminates have been investigated. Both the 6BaO-1CaO-2Al 2 O 3 aluminates sintered in air and hydrogen crystallize in the Ba 3 CaAl 2 O 7 phase. However, the aluminates with the same composition sintered in CO 2 and O 2 mixture crystallizes in the Ba 3 Al 2 O 6 phase with a small amount of BaCO 3 reactant. The microstructure for the aluminates sintered in air and H 2 show similar features while the sample sintered in CO 2 and O 2 mixture atmosphere shows better conglomeration. Emissivity tests indicate that the divergent current density J div for the dispenser cathodes impregnated with aluminates sintering in air, H 2 , and CO 2 and O 2 mixture atmospheres are 6.0, 6.1, and 7.6 A cm−2 at 1130 °C B , respectively. Finally, environmental stability tests indicate that the aluminates with the Ba 3 CaAl 2 O 6 phase sintered in air as well as hydrogen is more environmentally stable than that with Ba 3 Al 2 O 6 phase sintered in CO 2 and O 2 mixture. The process of sintering 612 aluminate in CO 2 and O 2 mixture is beneficial for superior emissivity on the condition of avoiding exposure to moisture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]