Nano-crystalline LaFeO3 powders synthesized by the citrate–gel method

A novel sol–gel process was developed for preparing nano-sized, perovskite-type LaFeO3 powder by the thermal decomposition of the gel-complex of LaFe–(C6H8O7·H2O). The structural evolution has been systematically investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Perovskite powder of ∼ 25 nm size could be obtained at a temperature of ∼ 600 °C without formation of any secondary phases of La2O3 and Fe2O3 single oxides and no requirements of high temperature/vacuum/pH control etc. Analysis of the X-ray powder diffraction data showed a decrease in the value of lattice strains with increasing decomposition temperature, whereas the particle size increases with increasing decomposition temperature.