Characterization of nanosized ZnAl2O4 spinel synthesized by the sol–gel method

Single-phase zinc aluminate (ZnAl2O4) nanoparticles with the spinel structure was successfully obtained by the sol–gel method. The nanoparticles are crystalline with no impurities related to ZnO or Al2O3 residues. The microstructural environment of aluminum ions changes with heat treatment temperature, as observed by FT-IR and also by 27Al solid-state magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) spectra. The photoluminescence spectra show that the emission of pristine ZnAl2O4 may change depending on the calcining temperature due to the quantum size effect.