Synthesis of europium orthochromites (EuCrO3) nanoparticles by a combustion reaction method

• A new route was used for preparing high purity nanopowders of EuCrO3.
• The structural, morphological, thermal and magnetic properties were investigated.
• The canting Cr-O-Cr angle was found to be enhanced yielding a lower value for T〈SUB>N

High purity powder samples of EuCrO3 were produced by a combustion reaction technique. The crystalline structure, morphology and magnetic properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and magnetization measurements. The average particle size was found to be about 30 nm. A weak ferromagnetism due to the canting of the Cr3+ spins was observed below a Néel temperature (TN) of 172 K, yielding, for a formula unit, 0.01 μB, 2.0 kOe and 0.22 μB for the remanent magnetization, coercivity, and magnetization measured at the highest applied magnetic field (85 kOe), respectively, for T = 5 K. The Cr3+O2−Cr3+ bond angle was determined to be 156.3∘ being consistent with the lower value found for TN.