The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of fuel type and temperature on the synthesis of nano-cordierite powder bygel combustion method. Two different fuels, urea and citric acid, along with silica fume and metal nitrates, as an oxidant, areused to prepare nano-cordierite powder. Ignited samples are calcinated in different temperatures and characterized bydifferent analytical techniques such as thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infraredspectroscopy (FTIR) and field emission electron microscope (FE-SEM). The Debye-Scherer formula is used to calculate theaverage crystallite size. Although Analysis of XRD spectrum shows that α–cordierite nano-crystalline phase is formedcompletely, a minor spinel impurity phase is found in the structure. The average crystallite sizes calculated by FWHM areabout 47 to 87 nm. Morphology of powders are identified by FESEM analysis. While the results of implemented method showthat the particle size of powders is in nano-meter range, most of them are agglomerated.

Keywords: Nano-cordierite, Gel-combustion, Fuel type, Urea, Citric acid