LaSrFeO4 nanopowders synthesized by different combustion methods: Effect of fuel/particle size

Nano LaSrFeO4 powders have been prepared by chemical combustion route using glycine, polyvinyl alcohol and urea as fuels. Rietveld refinements of the powdered X-ray (XRD) data confirmed the tetragonal space group I4/mmm of the obtained phases. The average grain size of nanopowders obtained by using urea as a fuel was found to be smallest, while the specific surface area was found to be maximum. Magnetic measurements showed the antiferromagnetic behavior of all the samples while nanoparticles prepared by using urea as a fuel were found to have maximum value of Weiss constant (Θ  ) and magnetic moment (μeff)(μeff). All the nano-powders showed insulating behavior and the transport properties were dominated by the Polaron hopping mechanism with polaron activation energy found to be maximum using urea as fuel.