Fabrication of a novel light emission material AlFeO3 by a modified polyacrylamide gel route and characterization of the material

•A modified polyacrylamide gel route is used to synthesize novel light emission materials AlFeO3.•Phase transformation process of AlFeO3 have been studied.•Luminescence mechanisms of AlFeO3 have been discussed.

AlFeO3 powders have been prepared by a modified polyacrylamide gel method and their thermal expansion and photoluminescence properties have been studied for the first time. The phase, morphology and thermal expansion behavior of as-prepared samples were analyzed via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), and thermal dilatometer. XRD analysis indicates that the as-synthesized AlFeO3 has the same structure as α-Fe2O3 without the presence of any other impurities. SEM observation shows that the morphology of AlFeO3 powder is significantly dependent on the sintering temperature. The thermal expansion and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves of AlFeO3 sample analysis indicates that a phase transition near 700 °C. The crystal growth mechanisms, coordination mechanisms, phase transformation process and luminescence mechanisms of AlFeO3 have been discussed on the basis of the experimental results. The blue light emission at 2.76 eV is due to intracenter 4T1 → 6A1 transitions in Fe3+ ions.