In the present study the effects of cobalt oxide additions on the densification behavior of gadolinium aluminate ceramics were investigated. It was found that the addition of cobalt oxide reduces the sintering temperature by about 150 oC, promoting simultaneously the densification process. The relative density of a pure GdAlO3 specimen sintered at 1500 oC was 69%, whereas the specimen containing 5 mol% Co3O4 had a very high density of 95%. The sinterability of GdAlO3 ceramics was significantly enhanced by the addition of Co3O4.

Keywords: ceramics, sintering, microstructure, gadolinium aluminate, cobalt oxide.