Synthesis of nanostructured yttrium oxides doped with cerium ions by solution combustion synthesis

Abstract

Yttrium oxide doped with cerium ions (Ce4+:Y2O3) is a promising material for ceramic scintillators,while the use of nanosized particles during its sintering can reduce optical losses in the obtainedceramics. The method of solution combustion synthesis for the synthesis of nanoparticles, has thefollowing advantages: organic compounds are usually used as fuel, which are easily oxidized andintroduce minimal pollution into the product, and gaseous products are released during the combustion,which makes it possible to obtain ceramic substances in a finely dispersed state. Experiments werecarried out to obtain nanopowders of yttrium oxide doped with cerium ions by combustion insolutions using glycine / (glycine and citric acid) as a reducing agent/fuel. Yttrium nitrates were theinitial components for the preparation of aqueous solutions. The characteristics of the synthesizedparticles of yttrium oxide doped with cerium ions are presented. X-ray phase analysis of the obtainedmaterials after annealing at t = 600 °C showed that all samples are powders with a single-phasestructure. In accordance with the data of scanning electron microscopy and particle size distributionof aggregates, the peak distribution of Ce4+:Y2O3 particle aggregates is at 10÷12 nm. It has beenshown that the method of combustion in solutions can be successfully used for the synthesis of metaloxide nanoparticles.