Neodymium substitution effects in sol–gel derived Y3−xNdxAl5O12

Yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) powders substituted by neodymium Y3−xNdxAl5O12 (x = 0.1, 0.25, 0.35, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0) were prepared by a simple aqueous sol–gel method using aluminium nitrate nonahydrate, yttrium oxide, neodymium oxide as the starting materials and ethane-1,2-diol as complexing agent. The powders annealed at 1000 °C in air were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, infrared (IR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was demonstrated, however, that the total substitution of yttrium by neodymium does not proceed in the YAG. Pure cubic garnet phase was formed only at low concentration of neodymium (x = 0.1, 0.25, 0.35, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8 and 1.5). With further substitution, when the amount of neodymium was x = 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 the main part of garnet phase transformed in to the perovskite neodymium aluminate (NdAlO3) phase.