On the sol–gel fabrication and characterization of undoped and cerium-doped Sr4Al14O25

•Sr4Al14O25 samples were prepared using aqueous sol–gel synthesis.•The boric acid as fluxing agent for the synthesis should be used.•Doping with cerium could be successfully performed.•Photoluminescence properties of doped samples were studied.

An aqueous sol–gel synthesis route has been used for the preparation of undoped and cerium-doped strontium aluminate phase Sr4Al14O25. This study revealed required conditions for obtaining single phase compound, which are 1300 °C annealing temperature and addition of 2.5% of boric acid as a fluxing agent. The fact that boric acid is involved in the process of formation of strontium aluminate was confirmed by thermogravimetric measurements. A series of cerium-doped samples has been prepared and their excitation and emission spectra has been measured, which showed peaks at 330 nm and 385 nm, respectively.