Fabrication of Ce3+ doped Gd3Ga3Al2O12 ceramics by reactive sintering method

Ce3+ doped Gd3Ga3Al2O12 (Ce:GGAG) ceramics were fabricated by solid state reactive sintering method in this study. The ceramics were pre-sintered in normal muffle furnace in air at various temperature range from 1410 degrees C to 1550 degrees C for 10 h and post-treated by hot isostatic press at 1400 degrees C/2 h in 200 MPa Ar. The phase and microstructure evolution of Ce: GGAG samples during the densification process were investigated by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. Pure GGAG phase appeared with the temperature increased to 1200 degrees C. The fully dense and translucent GGAG ceramics were fabricated by pre-sintering at 1450 degrees C and followed by HIP treatment. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.