Preparation and Characterization of Y3Al5O12 (YAG) from An Alkoxide-Derived Polymer

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe controlled hydrolysis of Al(O-sec-Bu)3 and Y(O-iso-Pr)3 or the reaction of Y(OOCCH)3 with partially hydrolyzed Al(O-sec-Bu)3 [AlO0.75(O-sec-Bu)1.5] resulted in the formation of soluble polymeric materials. Pyrolysis of these materials under a flow of oxygen led to the formation of yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) at 650-1500°C. YAG was the only crystalline phase observed during pyrolysis, and the Al/Y ratio of the pyrolysis products and the starting material was identical. However, infrared spectroscopy indicated that carbonate groups and entrained CO2 existed in the products at temperatures up to 1250°C. The pyrolysis chemistry of the precursors and the microstructure of the products were studied by FT-IR, TGA, XRD, SEM and elemental analyses.