Syntheses and characterization of highly transparent ZnAl2O4 ceramic films using poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) assisted microwave approach

Abstract Zinc aluminate nanopowders were synthesized via poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) assisted microwave approach. The as-synthesized ZnAl2O4 nanopowders were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected area of electron diffraction (SAED). The prepared ZnAl2O4 nanopowders exhibited a spinel cubic polycrystalline structure. The increase of poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) amounts decreased the particle size of the ZnAl2O4 nanopowders. The poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) enhanced the densification rate of ZnAl2O4. The increasing of poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) amount decreased the sintering temperature from 1300 °C to 950 °C. The hot-compressed ZnAl2O4 nanopowders in the existence of 2 wt% of poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) exhibited full density at 950◦C in just 20 min. The ZnAl2O4 ceramic films revealed a high transparency of 83 ± 1% at a wavelength range from 450-1200 nm.