One-stage synthesis of (Y0,5Bi0,5)3(Fe0,5Ga0,5)5O12 garnet using the organometallic gel auto-combustion approach

Abstract Nanosized powder of (Y 0.5 Bi 0.5 ) 3 (Fe 0.5 Ga 0.5 ) 5 O 12 ferrite garnet with a narrow particle size distribution was prepared via the gel auto-combustion approach based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and metal nitrates. The peculiarities of garnet phase formation were studied by infrared spectroscopy (IR spectroscopy), simultaneous thermal analysis (TGA/DSC), C, H and N-elemental analysis, and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The final powdery product was characterized using powder XRD, IR spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We established that the use of PVA provides one-stage crystallization of a single-phase ferrite-garnet due to the formation of a thermally stable PVA-salt complex. Crystallization of the (Y 0.5 Bi 0.5 ) 3 (Fe 0.5 Ga 0.5 ) 5 O 12 powder occurred at 700 °C, without intermediate and impurity phases.