Synthesis of Magnesium Ferrite by Combustion of Glycine-Nitrate Gel: the Influence of Reagents on the Gel-Precursor and the Microstructure of Nanopowders

Nanocrystalline Ce-substituted yttrium iron-gallium garnet Y2.5Ce0.5(Fe0.5Ga0.5)(5)O-12 was obtained by a metal-organic gel combustion method using PVA as a fuel with subsequent calcining in vacuum at 700 degrees C. According to SEM and XRD data, an additional heat treatment in air led only to an increase in the crystallinity of the sample. The element composition and the phase purity were confirmed by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction, respectively. Mossbauer spectroscopy on Fe-57 nuclei revealed the presence of only Fe3+ ions in the sample, which can be considered as indirect evidence of the absence of tetravalent cerium impurity.