Synthesis of SrAl2O4 from a mixed-metal citrate precursor

A mixed-metal citrate precursor method was used to synthesize SrAl2O4. The effects of the pH of the starting solutions and the molar ratio of citric acid to total metal cations concentration (CA/M) on the formation of SrAl2O4 were studied. DTA, TG, FT-IR, XRD and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to characterize the precursors and the derived oxide powders. XRD analysis showed that single-phase SrAl2O4 was synthesized from CA/M = 2 precursors at a temperature of 900 °C for 2 h, without the formation of any intermediate phase.