Abstract
Magnesium aluminate spinel oxides have been prepared via poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) assisted microwave technique. The prepared MgAl2O4 powders showed a crystalline cubic structure with spinel phase after calcination at 600 degrees C only. The poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) amount showed a high effect on the crystallite size and the densification behavior of MgAl2O4. The increase of the amount of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) reduced the sintering temperature of MgAl2O4 from 1400 degrees C to 1050 degrees C. The hot-pressed of MgAl2O4 powders in the presence of 3 wt% of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) exhibited a full density at sintering temperature 1100 degrees C in 15 min only. The sintered films showed high transparency (81 +/- 2%) in the wavelength range 500-1000 nm. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.