The Annealing of Corundum (Ruby) in Nitrogen (N2) Air

Every ruby produced in the world is in different qualities with its unique characteristics. The development of ruby’s color is effective in annealing in different atmospheres. In our work, crystal parameters, spectroscopic properties and color changes were determined by heat-treating the newly discovered ruby in the nitrogen atmosphere in Turkey. The annealing result in the nitrogen atmosphere was: a-axis 0.17% and c-axis 0.25%, for R-3c: R-3c: R a-axis 7.06%, alpha angle 5.19% and a- 0.99, c-axis increased by 0.94%. After annealing, a large absorption peak was observed at a wavelength of 500 nm in the UV-Vis spectrometer. The red color of the ruby was white-light-pink after annealing. Heat treatment in the nitrogen environment caused a change in the color of the ruby.

___

  • [1] Song C., Hang Y., Xia C., Xu J., Zhou G., “Characteristics of large-sized ruby crystal grown by temperature gradient technique”, optical Materials, 2005, 27, 699-703. [2] Boulon G., “Fifty years of advances in solid-state laser materials”, Optical Materials, 2012, 34, 499–512.
  • [3] Sahoo R.K., Mohapatra B.K., Singh S.K., Mishra B.K., “Aesthetic value improvement of the ruby stone using heat treatmentand its synergetic surface study”, Applied Surface Science, 2015, 329, 23–31.
  • [4] Mercier A., Rakotondrazafy M., Ravolomiandrinarivo B., “Ruby Mineralization in Southwest Madagascar”, Gondwana research, 1999, V:2, No:3, 433-438.
  • [5] Achiwawanich, S., James, B.D., Liesegang, J., “XPS and ToF-SIMS analysis of natural rubies and sapphires heated in an inert (N2) atmosphere”, Applied Surface Science, 2007, 253, 6883-6891.
  • [6] Achiwawanich S., Brack N., James B.D., Liesegang J., “Surface analysis of heat-treated Mong Hsu rubies”, Applied Surface Science, 2006, 252, 8646-8650.
  • [7] Nassau K., “Heat treating ruby and sapphire: technical aspects”, Gems&Gemology, 1981, Fall, 121-130.
  • [8] Shor R., Weldon R., “Ruby and sapphire production and distribution: A quarter century of change”, Gems&Gemology, 2009, Winter, 236-259.
  • [9] Koivula J.I., IZamnwrling R. C., “A gemological look at kyocera's new synthetic star ruby”, Gems&Gemology, 1988, Winter, 237-240.
  • [10] Basic inorganic crystal structure.
  • [11] Latis parameter.
  • [12] Trinkler L., Berzina B., Jakimovica D., Grabis J., Steins I., “UV-light induced luminescence processes in Al2O3 bulk and nanosize powders”, Optical Materials, 2010, 32, 789-795.
  • [13] Trinkler L., Berzina B., Jevsjutina Z., Grabis J., Steins I., Baily C.J., “Photoluminescence of Al2O3 nanopowders of different phases”, Optical Materials, 2012, 34, 1553-1557.
  • [14] Liu Q., Yang Q.H., Zhao G.G., Lu S.Z., and Zhang H.J., “The thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence properties of Cr-doped alpha alumina transparent ceramics”, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2013, 579, 259-262.
  • [15] McCumber D.E., “Effect of lattice dynamics on optical properties”, Luminescence, ,2000, 85, 171-175.
  • [16] Juncomma U., Intarasiri S., Bootkul D., Tippawan U., “Ion beam analysis of rubies and their simulants”, Nuclear Inst. and Methods in Physics Research B, ,2014, 331,102-107.
  • [17] Shen L., Hu C., Zhou S., Mukherjee A., Huang Q., “Phase-dependent photoluminescence behavior of Cr-doped alumina phosphors”, Optical Materials, 2013, 35, 1268-1272.
  • [18] Flerov V.I. and Flerov A.V., “Radiation quenching of F-center emission in ruby”, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B., 1998, 141, 384-386.
  • [19] Khoi N.N., Sutthirat C., Tuan D.A., Nam N.V., Thuyet N.T.M., Nhung N.T., “Ruby and sapphire from the tan huong-truc lau area, yen bai province, northernvietnam”, Gems&Gemology, 2011, Fall, 182-195.
  • [20] Kane R.E., et al., “Rubies and fancy sapphires from Vietnam”, Gems&Gemology, 1991, Fall 136-155.
  • [21] Kane R.E., “Synthetic ruby and synthetic blue sapphire”, Gems&Gemology, 1985, Spring, 35-39.
  • [22] Khoi N.N., Sutthirat C., Tuan D.A., Nam N.V., Thuyet N.T.M. and Nhung N.T., “Ruby and sapphire from the tan huong-truc lau area, yen bai province, northernvietnam”, Gems&Gemology, 2011, Fall, 182-195.
  • [23] Hanni H.A., Schmetzer K., “New rubies from the morogoro area, Tanzania”, Gems&Gemology, 1991, Fall, 156-167.