Development of Magnesia-Yttria nanocomposite powder by new non-alkoxide sol-gel method

Magnesia-Yttria nanocomposite powder was synthesized by new non-alkoxide sol-gel method. In this method, Y(NO3)3·6H2O, Mg(CH3COO)2·4H2O, Ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), Ethylene glycol (EG) were used as Y3+, Mg2+, chelating agent and solvent source, respectively. The influences of pH value and calcination temperature on phase evolution of samples have been investigated. As-synthesized magnesia- yttria nanocomposite powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), energy dispersion spectrum (EDS), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), thermal gravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The as-synthesized magnesia-yttria nanocomposite powder was consolidated by the cold press technique and sintered at 1400 °C for 2 h. The FESEM micrographs of sintered Magnesia- Yttria composite showed a uniform distribution of MgO and Y2O3 phases.