Synthesis and Characterization of LaCoxFe1-xO3 (0≤x≤1) Nano-Crystal Powders by Pechini Type Sol–Gel Method

Abstract

In the present work, the authors report the results of the influence of the cobalt ions which partly substitute the Fe ions in the LaCoxFe1-xO3, where x = 0; 0.2; 0.4; 0.6; 0.8; 1 on the structural properties. A polymeric sol-gel (Pechini) technique has been used to prepare nano sized powders of LaCoxFe1-xO3 semiconducting oxide. Thermal decomposition of polymeric intermediate was studied via DTA-TG analysis. The phase composition, crystal structure and morphology of the samples were studied by XRD, SEM, and TEM. Considering the DTA-TG results, the addition of cobalt to the system led to a shift toward lower temperatures. In comparison with LaFeO3, the intensity of LaCoxFe1-xO3 (0<x≤1) peaks declined markedly, although the full widths at half maximum were far broader. The average crystallite sizes of the final powders that were almost spherical varied from 28 to 11 nm, resulting from an increase in the cobalt amount.