Microwave Assisted Synthesis and Powder Flowability Characteristics of Rare-Earth Aluminate (ReAlO₃, Re = La, Gd, Nd, Y) Powders

ABSTRACT

Rare-earth aluminate (ReAlO₃, Re = La, Gd, Nd, Y) powders were successfully synthesized from a mixture of Re₂O₃ (Re = La, Gd, Nd, Y) and Al₂O₃ powders using microwave assisted synthesis which consists of two steps: microwave heat treatment and high-energy milling process. X-ray diffraction, laser particle size analyzer, nitrogen adsorption technique (BET) and scanning electron microscopy were employed to study the phase composition, particle size and distribution, specific surface area and powder morphology. The results suggest that microwave assisted method led to a very rapid synthesis of ReAlO₃ compared to conventional solid-state reaction process. The crystals produced by microwave assisted synthesis have a perovskite structure and the particle size distribution ranges from 3.6-51.5 µm. The present work demonstrates that rare-earth aluminates (ReAlO₃) produced via microwave assisted synthesis have good powder flowability and is an ideal material for thermal spray coating process.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Microwave assisted synthesis
• rare-earth aluminates
• powder flowability
• particle size distribution and morphology