A review of solution combustion synthesis: an analysis of parameters controlling powder characteristics

The solution combustion synthesis technique is a versatile method for the production of powders used in a variety of applications. It has been used to produce hundreds of compounds, thus demonstrating its versatility, especially for the preparation of oxides, and is now a workhorse technique in materials science. Its success resides in the ease of implementation, high-throughput, the versatility of chemistries, and capacity for the production of high-surface area powders. The main limitations of the technique include problems with powder agglomeration, possible lack of control of powder morphologies, and the presence of leftover organic impurities from incomplete combustion. In this contribution, we review the influence of a variety of factors of relevance for the technique, including the type of fuel, fuel-to-oxidizer ratio, and combustion temperature, as well as the presence of additives and other special considerations, with a particular focus on the crystallite size and particle size of the resulting powders.