Abstract
Yttrium oxide has been synthesized from yttrium nitrate by combustion synthesis using ethylene glycol as the fuel. The combustion characteristics, thermal decomposition, crystallite pattern of the reaction product, and densification of the calcined powders were studied for different glycol/nitrate ratios. The microstructural evolution of the reaction product with increasing calcination temperature was studied. By sintering compacted powders at 1698 K for 7.2 ks, 96% of the theoretical density was achieved. The average grain size was 3 μm and there was no evidence of intra-granular porosity.