Synthesis of BaAl2Ge2O8 by the Pechini method, using graphene oxide as stabilizing agent

•BaAl2Ge2O8 (BAG) has been synthesized by the Pechini method for the first time.•Graphene oxide, as a stabilizing agent, enables the obtention of the pure BAG phase.•The formation of irregular-shaped BAG flakes between grains was promoted by GO. In this study, BaAl2Ge2O8 (BAG) synthesis was performed using the Pechini method for the first time. Graphene oxide (GO), used as a precursor agent to obtain the pure phase of BAG, was incorporated to the precursor powders before heath treatment at 1300 °C. The pure BAG phase was obtained with a cation:citric acid molar ratio of 8:1, a pH = 8, and a mass concentration of GO from 0.5 wt%. The incorporation of 2 wt% of GO promoted the formation of irregular-shaped BAG flakes with a size smaller than 3 µm. The pure BAG phase exhibited a band gap of 5.12 eV.