Synthesis of nanocrystalline CeAlO3 by solution-combustion route

CeAlO₃ was synthesised by a modified solution-combustion route using a mixture of urea and glycine as fuel. A trivalent oxidation state of cerium was stabilised and high-quality single phase polycrystalline CeAlO₃ was obtained by optimising the ratio of fuels. The transmission electron micrography and powder X-ray diffraction investigations showed that the particles were nanocrystalline in nature. Rietveld refinement confirmed the space group of the structure to be I4/mcm$I4/mcm$ with lattice parameters a=5.3278(1)$a=5.3278(1)$ Å, c=7.5717(3)$c=7.5717(3)$ Å. Magnetisation measurements indicated that the sample was paramagnetic up to 2 K. The susceptibility data fitted the Curie–Weiss model in the temperature range 100–300 K with _θp=−40${\theta }_p=-40$ K. The value of _μeff=2.2_μB${\mu }_{\text{eff}}=2.2{\mu }_B$ was close to that expected for a Ce³⁺ ion. The magnetic properties were comparable to that reported for single crystals indicating the high quality of CeAlO₃ prepared in the present work. The semiconducting band gap as estimated from UV–visible spectroscopy was 3.26 eV.