Microwave synthesis of homogeneous YAG nanopowder leading to a transparent ceramic

Authors

Jieqiang Wang, University of WollongongFollow
Shaohua Zheng, University of Jinan China
Rong Zeng, University of WollongongFollow
S. X. Dou, University of WollongongFollow
Xudong Sun, Northeastern University Shenyang China

RIS ID

31482

Publication Details

Wang, J., Zheng, S., Zeng, R., Dou, S. Sun, X. (2009). Microwave synthesis of homogeneous YAG nanopowder leading to a transparent ceramic. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 92 (6), 1217-1223.

Abstract

A homogeneous and extremely fine yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) precursor powder was synthesized from solutions with a low [urea]/[metal ions] ratio under microwave irradiation, and pure phase YAG was directly crystallized from it at 1173 K. In the presence of sulfate ions, a fibrillar precursor that takes on a dendritic skeleton was generated, and easily dispersible YAG nanopowder with a particle size of 20–30 nm was obtained at 1373 K. A transparent YAG ceramic with fine grains was sintered from this YAG nanopowder at 1973 K for 10 min in a graphite furnace. At the wavelength of 1060 nm, the in-line light transmittance of the YAG ceramic is up to 67%. The mechanism behind the influence of the microwave irradiation and sulfate ions on the characteristics of YAG is thoroughly discussed.