Low-temperature synthesis of lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite by the citrate complex method adding oleic acid

•Low-temperature synthesis of lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF).•LSCF prepared by the citrate complex method adding oleic acid as surfactant.•Dynamic laser scattering showed dispersibility of precursor improved by oleic acid.•Single-phase LSCF was obtained even at a low calcination temperature of 500 °C.•Observed particle sizes by TEM of ∼20 nm were almost the same as from XRD results.

Crystalline lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF) was obtained by calcination at a low temperature of 500 °C from precursor nanoparticles. The precursor nanoparticles were synthesized by the citrate complex method adding oleic acid as a surfactant, and dynamic laser scattering measurements suggested that they exhibited high dispersibility in the solution with an average diameter less than around 20 nm. The crystallite size decreased and the total specific area increased as the calcination temperature was decreased from 800 to 500 °C. It was found that the oleic acid functioned as a surfactant to form homogeneous fine precursor, and then assisted in the crystallization of LSCF even at a low calcination temperature of 500 °C. Such a low temperature synthesis suppressed the agglomeration and growth of LSCF particles so that fine powders with particle size less than 20 nm were obtained.

Graphical abstractSingle-phase lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite was obtained even at a low calcination temperature of 500 °C prepared by the citrate complex method adding oleic acid as surfactant.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide