A comparative study of the co-precipitate synthesis of barium-calcium-aluminates impregnants for dispenser cathodes by using different precipitants

Abstract In order to optimize the synthesis process of barium-calcium-aluminate (BCA) for the application of impregnated dispenser cathodes, the influence of two precipitants, ammonium carbonate (AC) and ammonium hydrogen carbonate (AHC), on the chemical composition, phase transformation, thermal behaviors and morphology of the precursors was systematically investigated by means of XRD, TG-DSC, FESEM, and EDS mapping analysis. The results revealed that AC precipitant facilities to form NH 4 Al (OH) 2 CO 3 (AACH) phase and barium calcium carbonate in the precursor, while the product precipitated by AHC comprises amorphous γ -AlOOH phase and the carbonate. Both precursors precipitated by the AC and AHC undergo various stages of phase transformations and finally converted to an emission-active material Ba 3 CaAl 2 O 7 phase after sintering at 1200 °C. DC emission current values have been measured and the maximum space charge limited current densities are 8.0 ± 0.3 and 6.5 ± 0.4 A/cm 2 at 1130 °C b for the testing cathodes impregnated with the AC and AHC precursor aluminates, respectively. The difference in the emission capacity originates from the barium content in the aluminates prepared with different precipitants.