Exploring the limits of Fe3+ solid solution in calcium hexaluminate

Abstract Calcium hexaluminate (CA6) forms a broad range of solid solutions by substitution of Al 3+ with other cations such as, for example, Fe, Co, Mn, etc. Solid solutions of CA6 with magnetic ions have attracted interest because they allow designing the magnetic behavior depending on the composition of each solid solution. In this paper, we have studied materials pertaining to an area of the CaO–Al 2 O 3 –Fe 2 O 3 ternary phase diagram that is potentially interesting, but which has not been too much explored so far. We report on various synthesis methods of calcium hexaluminate with iron in solid solution. The percentages of iron introduced have been varied in order to determine the maximum percentage of iron that can enter into solid solution in the calcium hexaluminate such that the materials obtained exhibit magnetic behavior. Graphical Abstract Exploring the limits of Fe 3+ solid solution in calcium hexaluminate.