OICC Press International Nano Letters 2228-5326 3 1 (December 2013) 2013 05 25 Sol–gel synthesis, characterization, and optical properties of Gd3+-doped CdO sub-micron materials 10.1186/2228-5326-3-41 EN Abdolali Alemi Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, IR Sang Woo Joo School of Mechanical Engineering WCU Nano Research Center, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 712-749, KR Shahin Khademinia Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, IR Mahboubeh Dolatyari Laboratory of Photonics and Nano Crystals, School of Engineering-Emerging Technologies, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, IR Akbar Bakhtiari Department of Chemistry, Payame Noor University, Tehran, 19395-4697, IR Hossein Moradi Faculty of Chemistry, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, IR Sorayya Saeidi Faculty of Science of Nature, Department of Geology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, IR Journal Article 2013 05 25 Abstract Highly crystalline Gd 3+ -doped cadmium oxide micro-structure was synthesized by calcining the obtained precursor of a sol–gel reaction. The reaction was carried out with cadmium nitrate (Cd(NO 3 ) 2 ·4H 2 O), gadolinium oxide, and ethylene glycol (C 2 H 6 O 2 ) reactants without any additives at 80°C for 2 h. The resulting gel was calcined at 900°C with increasing temperature rate of 15°C/min for 12 h in a furnace. As a result of heating, the organic section of the gel was removed, and the Gd 3+ -doped cadmium oxide micro-structure was produced. The obtained compound from the sol–gel technique possesses a cubic crystalline structure at a micro scale. XRD study indicates that the obtained Gd 3+ -doped CdO has a cubic phase. Also, the SEM images showed that the resulting material is composed of particles with cluster structure. Also, FT-IR spectroscopy was employed to characterize the Gd 3+ -doped CdO micro-structures.