Flame-spraying synthesis of aluminate glasses in the Al2O3–La2O3 system

The paper deals with the synthesis and characterisation of binary aluminate glasses in the La2O3–Al2O3 system with Al2O3 contents changing between 74.6 and 86.9 mol% (48–65 wt.%), and of ternary glasses with 75.7 mol% Al2O3 doped with 1 mol% of Nd2O3 or Er2O3. Six binary and two ternary compositions were prepared. Flame synthesis facilitated the preparation of X-ray amorphous microspheres in the systems with 58 wt.% Al2O3, and with eutectic composition in the pseudobinary LaAlO3–LaAl11O18 system doped with Er. Other systems contained low fractions of crystalline LaAlO3 perovskite, regardless of the composition. The diameter of prepared microspheres ranged between 2 and 10 μm. They were transparent for visible light, as well as in the IR wavenumber range from 1300 to 4000 cm−1.