Sintering trajectory of the 2.88 Y2O3-0.12 Nd2O3-5Al2O3 powders of different sizes

The dependence between the relative density and mean grain size of 4 at % Nd3+: Y3Al5O12 ceramics produced by the reaction sintering of 2.88Y2O3-0.12Nd2O3-5Al2O3 powders of different sizes has been defined. It has been shown that anomalous behavior of sintering trajectory at T > 1700°C may be due to the inhibition of ceramic grain boundaries mobility. At a sintering temperature of 1800°C a partial decomposition of the garnet phase to precipitate unidentified impurity phase along the grain boundaries of Nd: YAG ceramics has been revealed.