Effect of Al doping on the structural and optical properties of ZrO2 nanopowders synthesized using solution combustion method

•First report on Al doped ZrO2 nanopowder prepared using a low-cost solution combustion method.•Stable tetragonal phased ZrO2 nanopowder suitable for photonic applications is prepared.•Structural properties are correlated properly with other properties.

Undoped and Al (2–10 mol.%) doped ZrO2 nanopowders were synthesized using solution combustion method having glycine as the fuel in a pre-heated furnace of around 500 °C. XRD study reveals that the synthesized nanopowders exhibit tetragonal phase of ZrO2 and also confirm the decrease in the crystallite size with the increase in the Al doping level. The lattice fringes observed from the HRTEM image substantiate the phase of the synthesized material. EDAX study confirms the presence of the elements Zr, Al, O in the nanopowders and the appropriate increase in the Al proportion in the final product. The FTIR and the absorption spectra clearly confirm that the product is ZrO2 with tetragonal structure. The band gap of the synthesized nanopowders is found to be around 5.1 eV. From PL spectra, the defect levels present in the product are analyzed and reported.