Structural characterization of Nd-doped in silica host matrix prepared by wet chemical process

Silica host matrix containing neodymium which is potentially important for the formation of nanocrystalline metal oxides was prepared by solgel method, using tetra-ethoxysilane and Nd(NO3)3 as precursor materials. The prepared samples were changed from amorphous to nanocrystallites phase at sintered temperature 550 °C (4 h), 750 °C (8 h) and 950 °C (12 h). The thermally treated sample microstructures were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). While a further increase of the temperature at 750 °C and annealing time (8 h) resulted in the formation of cubic and hexagonal Nd2O3 nanocrystallites. At constant sintering temperature 950 °C for 12 h, the samples showed sharper and intense peaks. The sizes of Nd2O3 nanocrystallites were characterized by XRD with average size ∼46 nm.