Fabrication of Yb3+-doped YAG transparent ceramics by aqueous gelcasting

Abstract

In this work, Yb:YAG transparent ceramics were prepared through aqueous gel-casting forming technique. Single-phase Yb:YAG nanopowders with mean particle size of 170 nm were used to prepare Yb:YAG slurries. The rheological properties of Yb:YAG slurries were investigated as a function of pH value and the dispersant content. It was found that the maximum zeta potential was achieved at pH = 11.5 with 2 wt% dispersant content (based on the weight of Yb:YAG powders). And then, the stable slurries with different solid loading (30-40 vol%) were prepared by ball milling and casted to form green bodies. The influence of the solid loading on microstructure of green bodies was investigated. The result showed that the green body with solid loading of 38 vol% had no deformation and exhibited homogeneous and compact microstructure with a relative density of 56.3 %.Finally, high optical quality Yb:YAG ceramic was obtained with the in-line transmittance of 81.2 % (1 mm thick). Graphical Abstract Highly transparent Yb:YAG transparent ceramics were prepared through aqueous gel-casting forming technique starting from the raw materials of single-phase Yb:YAG nanopowders.

A new photoluminescent feature in LuPO4:Eu thermoluminescent sintered materials

“…This refers also to LuPO 4 , whose high density (∼6.5 g/cm 3 ) makes it potentially attractive for some scintillation applications 1,12,16,17 . Transparency can be achieved not only in single crystals but also making high-density sintered materials, whose grains are separated by thin boundaries, while voids are absent [18][19][20] . However, high transparency of sintered materials can be achieved when they show optical isotropy.…”

Laser‐quality Tm:(Lu0.8Sc0.2)2O3 mixed sesquioxide ceramics shaped by gelcasting of well‐dispersed nanopowders

“… The nanopowders were uniaxially pressed into Φ 20 mm disks at 10 MPa followed by cold isostatic pressing (CIP) at 200 MPa. The gelcasting procedure in this study was similar to that reported in the previous publication . First, premixed solution was prepared by adding 10 wt% monomer (Methacrylamide, MAM), 1 wt% cross‐linking agent (N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide, MBAM) and different amount of dispersant (Polyacrylic acid, PAA) to the deionized water.…”

Viscoelastic behaviors and drying kinetics of different aqueous gelcasting systems for large Nd: YAG laser ceramics rods

“…However, although the gelcasting technology has been developed for decades and it has unique advantages in the preparation of transparent ceramics, there are still some problems that have not been completely solved up to now . The transparent ceramics prepared by gelcasting were generally small round wafer or rectangular strip (about 10‐30 mm in diameter or length) . Even if some ceramics were prepared into large sizes, they were usually the round or rectangular and could not achieve large‐size rods with a huge special aspect ratio (>10) or extreme dimension size .…”

“…21,24,25 The transparent ceramics prepared by gelcasting were generally small round wafer or rectangular strip (about 10-30 mm in diameter or length). [26][27][28][29] Even if some ceramics were prepared into large sizes, they were usually the round or rectangular and could not achieve large-size rods with a huge special aspect ratio (>10) or extreme dimension size. 30,31 Large-sized rod ceramics needed the higher requirements for the initial strength of green body in order to transport and dry.…”