Mechanical solid-state formation of Y(1-x)Ce(x)Al0(3) and its application as an X-ray scintillator

Mechanical solid-state reaction with a high-energy ball mill can be used no t only for metallurgical reactions, but also for preparing complex oxides. The present paper describes its successful application to the synthesis of cerium-doped yttrium aluminum perovskite, Y1-xCexAlO3, which exhibits a pro mising optical response to X-ray irradiation. The technique uses crystalliz ation from a strongly disordered non-equilibrium phase prepared by ball mil ling. It has been found that the combination of yttria and aluminum hydroxi de powders as the starting materials is satisfactory in avoiding contaminat ion from balls and vials, Mixing with ceria powder and then heating to at m oat 1150 degreesC enables the transition to the crystalline phase and the s ubstitution of cerium to the yttrium site simultaneously. The synthesis of a similar scintillating material Y3-yCeyAl5O12 is reported as well. (C) 200 1 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.