On the sol-gel fabrication and characterization of undoped and cerium-doped Sr sub(4)Al sub(14)O sub(25 )

An aqueous sol-gel synthesis route has been used for the preparation of undoped and cerium-doped strontium aluminate phase Sr sub(4)Al sub(14)O sub(25 ). This study revealed required conditions for obtaining single phase compound, which are 1300 [degrees]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.