ISSN 0036-0236, Russian Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2023, Vol. 68, No. 12, pp. 1744–1751.

© Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2023.

Russian Text © The Author(s), 2023, published in Zhurnal Neorganicheskoi Khimii, 2023, Vol. 68, No. 12, pp. 1722–1730.

SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES

OF INORGANIC COMPOUNDS

Low-Temperature Synthesis
of Highly Dispersed Strontium Aluminate
L. O. Kozlovaa, *, Yu. V. Ionia, b, A. G. Sona, G. A. Buzanova, G. P. Murav’evac, and I. V. Kozerozhetsa
a Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991 Russia
b Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), Moscow, 125993 Russia
c
Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991 Russia
*e-mail: kozzllova167@gmail.com
Received June 16, 2023; revised August 11, 2023; accepted August 18, 2023

Abstract―A new method for producing highly dispersed strontium aluminate with specified properties (low
bulk density, particle size and shape) is described. The essence of the method is the sequential multi-stage
heat treatment of a concentrated water-carbohydrate solution of Al(NO3)3, Sr(NO3)2, and D-glucose. The
final product has a molar ratio of SrO : Al2O3 = 1 : 1. The main stages of the synthesis have been characterized
by X-ray powder diffraction, SEM, and TEM methods. The initial stages of crystallization of SrAl2O4 upon
heating at 1400°C have been revealed.

Keywords: strontium aluminate, sol-gel method, heat treatment, specified properties, hydrothermal treatment
DOI: 10.1134/S0036023623602374

INTRODUCTION earth elements as an effective emitter in various solid-

Currently, the problem of the synthesis of highly
dispersed strontium aluminates is becoming increas-
ingly relevant due to their widespread use in various
fields of industry: in the construction industry (pro-
duction of various structural materials, including the
production of cement for refractory concrete) [1];
electrical industry (as a phosphor in fluorescent
lamps) [2]; textile industry (coloring fabric with fluo-
rescent dyes) [3], in medicine (a new type of marker
for biomedical use) [4], as well as in the manufacture
of radiation barriers [5]. According to studies [6–14],
phosphors based on strontium aluminates have
intense emission depending on the percentage of
alloying element input. They are used in the manufac-
ture of luminous paints for marking roads, runways,
ceramic products, warning signs and escape routes,
watch dials, emergency lighting for rooms, mines,
stairs, as well as projection screens, etc. [15, 16]. The
use of strontium aluminate for artificial lighting
reduces energy consumption, which provides environ-
mental benefits against light pollution [17].
Strontium-based aluminate phosphors have a long
afterglow time, high quantum efficiency, chemical
stability, and excellent luminescent properties, which
makes them suitable candidates to replace the well-
known phosphors based on rare earth elements [18].
Strontium aluminates have become the objects of in-
depth research due to their excellent luminescent
properties and long-term phosphorescence retention
at low temperatures [19]. In addition, the role of rare
state matrices is well known [20].
In industry, strontium aluminate is produced by
various modifications of high-temperature solid-
phase synthesis [21]. Currently, due to the increase in
CO2 emissions into the atmosphere during high-tem-
perature combustion, “soft chemistry” methods [22,
23] are becoming a priority [24]. These methods include
the sol-gel method [25], extraction-pyrolytic method
[26], and hydrothermal treatment method [27–29].
The SrO–Al2O3 system may contain many differ-
ent modifications of strontium aluminate, among
which SrAl12O19, SrAl4O7, Sr3Al2O6, SrAl2O4, and
Sr4Al2O7 are thermodynamically stable [30]. Sr4Al2O7
has two modifications: high-temperature α-Sr4Al2O7,
stable in the temperature range 1320–1690°С, and
low-temperature β-Sr4Al2O7, stable in the temperature
range 1125–1320°С. It is known that the low-tem-
perature modification of β-Sr4Al2O7 forms solid solu-
tions with alumina (Sr3Al2O6) [31].
Monoclinic α-SrAl2O4 is unique among other stron-
tium aluminates because it can exhibit luminescence
upon elastic deformation [32]. This is due to the lowest
symmetry in the monoclinic structure, which is required
to improve optical-mechanical devices [30]. This discov-
ery was used as a guide for the development of durable
luminescent materials with elastic deformation.
The purpose of this study is to develop a new low-
temperature approach to the synthesis of highly dis-
persed strontium aluminate with reproducible and

1744
 LOW-TEMPERATURE SYNTHESIS
Al(NO3)3·9H2O + Sr(NO3)2
D-C6H12O6
95qС
Evaporation
Gel
Fig. 1. Scheme for the synthesis of highly dispersed strontium aluminates.
specified properties, such as low bulk density, particle
size, and shape.
EXPERIMENTAL
Preparation of strontium aluminate by low-tempera-
ture synthesis. The developed approach is based on the
method of burning a concentrated water-carbohydrate
solution proposed [21, 22, 28, 29, 33]. The general
scheme for the synthesis of strontium aluminates is
shown in Fig. 1.
To obtain a water-carbohydrate solution, alumi-
num nitrate Al(NO3)3∙9Н2О (20.79 g) and strontium
nitrate Sr(NO3)2 (4.02 g) were dissolved in distilled
water (200 mL). After adding D-glucose (m(C6H12O6) =
16 g), the resulting solution was evaporated at 95°C for
4 h to obtain a gel. When using these samples in the
final product, the molar ratio of SrO : Al2O3 was 1 : 1.
The introduction of D-glucose into the reaction
solution prevents the agglomeration of strontium alu-
minate particles by foaming and creating a carbon
matrix around the particles. Multi-stage heat treat-
ment in air at temperatures up to 1400°C for 6 h leads
to burn out excess carbon.
Study of samples. The determination of the phase
composition of the obtained samples was carried out
on a Bruker D8 Advance instrument in reflection
mode with CuKα radiation (40 kV, 40 mA, λ =
1.54056 Å) with a scanning step of 4°/min. The mor-
phology of the particles was studied using a Carl Zeiss
Supra 40 scanning electron microscope (SEM). The
Table 1. Properties of strontium aluminate synthesized
after heat treatment of carbon-containing gel with Sr2+ and
Al3+ at 1400°C
Parameter Value
Bulk density, g/cm3 0.0015
Particle size, nm 30–70
Thermal conductivity coefficient, W/(m2 K) 0.03
RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
1745
Heat treatment
T = 500–1400qС
Nano-sized
strontium
aluminate
powder
samples were placed on a holder, which was placed
inside a chamber with a vacuum of 10–6 mbar. The
accelerating voltage when obtaining images in second-
ary scattered electrons was 1–10 kV, and the aperture
was 30 μm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
was performed on a JEOL Jem-1011 instrument at an
accelerating voltage of 80 kV. The samples were
applied to copper grids coated with carbon film by
ultrasonic atomization of an aqueous suspension
and then placed inside a chamber with a vacuum of
6–10 mbar. IR absorption spectra of the samples were
recorded on a Bruker Alpha IR Fourier spectrometer
with a Platinum ATR attachment in the range of 400–
4000 cm–1, scanning step 4 cm–1. The analysis of the
obtained IR spectra was carried out on the basis of lit-
erature and reference data.
Fluorescence spectroscopy was carried out on a
Perkin Elmer LS 55 single-beam spectrometer. Oper-
ating parameters: excitation source, 150 W xenon lamp
operating in pulsating mode with a frequency of 50 Hz,
Monk–Jillison type monochromator, wavelength
range 200–700 nm with spectral slits width 4 nm
(excitation), 4 nm (emission), and a scanning speed of
300 nm/min. The excitation wavelength was chosen
based on data from the electronic absorption spectrum
of the sample.
Samples were analyzed for C, H, and N content on
an EA1108 CarloEbra Instruments analyzer (Italy).
Combustion of samples obtained at different firing
temperatures was ensured by adding Co2O3 to the cap-
sule. A sample weighing <1 mg was burned automati-
cally in the reaction tube of the analyzer at 980°C with
a pulsed supply of oxygen. A complete analysis of
combustion products was carried out using a thermal
conductivity detector with computer processing of the
obtained chromatographic data.
Thermal conductivity was measured using an
ITP-MG4 Zond device manufactured by SKB Stroi-
pribor.
Vol. 68 No. 12 2023
1746 KOZLOVA et al.

PDF 00-010-0061 SrAl2O4

I
PDF 00-010-0066 SrAl12O19

PDF 00-028-1203 Sr3Al2O6

PDF 00-001-0886 J-Al2O3

PDF 01-071-2393 Sr(CO3)

2
1
20 40 60
2T, deg

Fig. 2. X-ray diffraction patterns of samples obtained after thermal treatment of a carbon-containing gel with Sr2+ and Al3+ at (1)
500, (2) 900, (3) 1000, (4) 1100, (5) 1200, and (6) 1400°C.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION spherical nanosized particles with an average size of

Figure 2 shows diffraction patterns of samples
obtained by burning an aqueous-carbohydrate solu-
tion with Sr2+ and Al3+ salts at 500 (1), 900 (2), 1000 (3),
1100 (4), 1200 (5), and 1400°C (6). According to the
diffraction pattern (Fig. 2, curve 1), sample 1 is X-ray
amorphous with trace inclusions of SrCO3 (PDF-01-
071-2393), which is formed when the element-con-
taining Sr2+ matrix is heated in air under conditions of
access to CO2 and an excess of carbon-containing
compounds during combustion of D-glucose. The
SEM image (Fig. 3a) of sample 1 shows enlarged
blocks of an element-containing organic matrix with
an average size of 100 μm, while the TEM image
shows that the blocks consist of smaller accumulations
of particles with an average size of 1 μm.
Upon subsequent heating at 900°C, according to
X-ray diffraction (Fig. 2, curve 2), the sample is a mix-
ture of SrAl2O4 (PDF 00-010-0061) and Sr3Al2O6
(PDF 00-028-1203), and trace inclusions are also
remained in SrCO3. According to SEM data (Fig. 4a),
synthesized sample 2 also represents enlarged agglom-
erates, which, according to TEM (Fig. 3b), consist of
30–70 nm.
A generalized scheme of transformations of stron-
tium aluminates during heat treatment up to 1400°C is
presented in Fig. 5. Heating a water-carbohydrate
solution with Sr2+ and Al3+ salts at 1100°C leads to the
appearance of SrAl4O7 inclusions in the dominant
phase of SrAl2O4. During subsequent heating, the
Sr3Al2O6 phase transforms into the SrAl12O19 phase,
which is remained as an inclusion up to 1400°C.
Thus, according to the X-ray powder diffraction
data, with increasing heating temperature, phases with
an increased content of aluminum relative to stron-
tium begin to form in the sample.
The X-ray powder diffraction results correlate with
the IR spectroscopy data (Fig. 6). The IR spectrum of
the sample obtained by heat treatment at 1000 and
1100°C contains bands at 672 and 731 cm–1, which
apparently correspond to vibrations of SrAl4O7, the
phase of which disappears when heated to 1400°C.
SEM and TEM images (Fig. 7) of a sample
obtained by heating an aqueous-carbohydrate solution
with Sr2+ and Al3+ salts at 1400°C make it possible to
record the initial stages of melting of SrAl2O4 with

RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY Vol. 68 No. 12 2023

 LOW-TEMPERATURE SYNTHESIS 1747

(а) (b)

30 Pm 100 nm

Fig. 3. (a) SEM and (b) TEM image of a sample obtained after heat treatment of a carbon-containing gel with Sr2+ and Al3+ at
a temperature of 500°C.

(а) (b)

30 Pm 100 nm

Fig. 4. (a) SEM (b) and TEM of a sample obtained after heat treatment of a carbon-containing gel with Sr2+ and Al3+ at a tem-
perature of 900°C.

crystallization on the surface of needle-shaped crystals
of SrAl12O19. TEM images (Fig. 7c) show that crystal-
lization nuclei at the initial stages are in the nanoscale
range. According to data [24], the melting point of
SrAl2O4 is ~1800°C; thus, obtaining the initial compo-
nents in the nanoscale range makes it possible to
reduce the melting point of SrAl2O4.
Table 1 shows the properties of strontium alumi-
nate synthesized by heating a concentrated water-car-
bohydrate solution of Sr2+ and Al3+ salts at 1400°C.
Table 2 shows the analysis of the content of C, H,
N in wt % depending on the processing temperature of
a concentrated water-carbohydrate solution of
Al(NO3)3 and Sr(NO3)2.

Table 2. Content of C, H, N (in wt %) depending on the temperature of processing of carbon-containing gel with Sr2+ and Al3+
T, °С
Element
150 250 350 450 550 650 750 850 950
С 22.91 37.62 34.51 8.93 5.72 1.16 0.35 – –
Н 5.03 2.56 2.54 2.42 2.39 0.26 0.24 0.11 –
N 5.71 2.25 2.19 0.72 – – – – –
Dash corresponds to “not defined.”

RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY Vol. 68 No. 12 2023

1748 KOZLOVA et al.

Sr(NO3)2 500qС X-ray amorphous 900qС

Al(NO3)3 intermediate SrAl2O4
D-C6H12O6 form Sr3Al2O6
H2 O

1000qС

SrAl2O4 1200qС SrAl2O4 1100qС

SrAl4O7 Sr3Al2O6 SrAl2O4
SrAl12O19 SrAl4O7 Sr3Al2O6

1400qС

SrAl2O4
with inclusions
of SrAl12O19

Fig. 5. Generalized scheme of transformations of strontium aluminates during heat treatment up to 1400°C.

I 3

527 893
553
801 2
464
592 838
613
445 640 771
412
1

731
672

400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100

Q, cm–1

Fig. 6. IR spectra of strontium aluminates obtained after heat treatment of carbon-containing gel Sr2+ and Al3+ at temperatures
of 1000 (1), 1100 (2), 1400°C (3).

Figures 8 and 9 present the results of a study of the length of 253 nm, the spectrum contains bands at 447 nm,
fluorescent properties of strontium aluminate powders corresponding to violet, at 459 nm (blue), at 484 nm
synthesized at temperatures up to 1400°C. As can be (blue), at 529 and 542 nm (green). When excited in the
seen from the graph (Fig. 9), at an excitation wave- visible region of the spectrum at 400 nm (Fig. 8), the

RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY Vol. 68 No. 12 2023

 LOW-TEMPERATURE SYNTHESIS 1749

(а)

3 Pm

(b)

1 Pm

(c)

100 nm

Fig. 7. (a, b) SEM and (c) TEM image of a sample obtained after heat treatment of a carbon-containing gel with Sr2+ and Al3+
at a temperature of 1400°C.

same bands are retained. However, the band at 447 nm CONCLUSIONS

is split into two with maxima at 440 and 446 nm. As
shown in the graphs (Figs. 8, 9), the most intense flu-
orescence appears in a sample of strontium aluminate
obtained by burning an element-containing polymer
matrix at 1100°C.
Structural materials based on synthesized stron-
tium aluminate have high refractory properties and
can serve as the basis for producing phosphors with a
long afterglow time at low temperatures [8–13].
A new low-temperature approach to the synthesis
of highly dispersed strontium aluminate powders is
presented, which consists of sequential multi-stage
heat treatment of a concentrated aqueous-carbohy-
drate solution of Al(NO3)3, Sr(NO3)2, and D-glucose
up to 1400°C. The intermediate stages of the synthesis
are characterized. The role of D-glucose in the syn-
thesis of powders with low bulk density has been estab-

RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY Vol. 68 No. 12 2023

1750 KOZLOVA et al.

Fluorescence spectra, Oexc = 400 nm

400 1000qС
446
440 1100qС
1200qС
459 1300qС
1400qС
900qС
IFLUO 484 700qС
542 800qС
200
529 500qС

0
400 450 500 550 600 650
O, nm

Fig. 8. Fluorescence spectra of strontium aluminate samples at λexc = 400 nm.

Fluorescence spectra, Oexc = 253 nm

1000
1000qС
484
1100qС
800 1200qС
459 1300qС
447 1400qС
600 900qС
484 700qС
IFLUO

800qС
400 529 500qС
542

200

400 450 500 550 600 650

O, nm
Fig. 9. Fluorescence spectra of strontium aluminate samples at λexc = 253 nm.

lished. The initial stages of crystallization of SrAl2O4 at ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

a heating temperature of 1400°C were revealed. Based
on the fluorescence spectra, nanosized particles of
strontium aluminate showed a good response in a wide
wavelength range, which suggests the manifestation of
stable luminescent properties at room temperature
when doped with rare earth elements.
X-ray diffraction studies were carried out using the
equipment of the Center for Collective Use of the Physical
Research Methods at the Kurnakov Institute of General and
Inorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences. For
SEM studies, we used the equipment of the Educational

RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY Vol. 68 No. 12 2023

 LOW-TEMPERATURE SYNTHESIS
and Methodological Center for Lithography and Micros-
copy of the Moscow State University.
FUNDING
This work was carried out within the framework of the
State Assignment of the Kurnakov Institute of General and
Inorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences in
the field of fundamental scientific research.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of
interest.
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