Nanostructured yttrium aluminum garnet powders synthesized by co-precipitation method using tetraethylenepentamine

Tetraethylenepentamine(C8H23N5,TEPA) has been used as a novel precipitant to synthesize yttrium aluminum garnet(Y3Al5O12,YAG) precursor from a mixed solution of aluminum and yttrium nitrates via a normal-strike co-precipitation method without controlling the pH value during precipitation process.The original precursor was analyzed by thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry(TG/DSC).The evolution of phase composition and micro-structure of the as-synthesized YAG powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD),Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).Compositionally pure YAG nanostructured powders were directly obtained by calcination of the precursor at 900 ℃ without the formation of any intermediate phases.The average particle size determined from TEM micrograph for the powder obtained at 1000 ℃ was approximately 50 nm.