Microstructural, Magnetic, and Optical Properties of Pr-Doped Perovskite Manganite La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 Nanoparticles Synthesized via Sol-Gel Process
Abstract We report on microstructural, magnetic, and optical properties of Pr-doped perovskite manganite (La1 − xPrx)0.67Ca0.33MnO3 (LPCMO, x = 0.0–0.5) nanoparticles synthesized via sol-gel process. Structural characterizations (X-ray and electron diffraction patterns, (high resolution) TEM images)...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2018-05-01
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| Series: | Nanoscale Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s11671-018-2553-y |
| Summary: | Abstract We report on microstructural, magnetic, and optical properties of Pr-doped perovskite manganite (La1 − xPrx)0.67Ca0.33MnO3 (LPCMO, x = 0.0–0.5) nanoparticles synthesized via sol-gel process. Structural characterizations (X-ray and electron diffraction patterns, (high resolution) TEM images) provide information regarding the phase formation and the single-crystalline nature of the LPCMO systems. X-ray and electron diffraction patterns reveal that all the LPCMO samples crystallize in perovskite crystallography with an orthorhombic structure (Pnma space group), where the MnO6 octahedron is elongated along the b axis due to the Jahn-Teller effect. That is confirmed by Raman spectra. Crystallite sizes and grain sizes were calculated from XRD and TEM respectively, and the lattice fringes resolved in the high-resolution TEM images of individual LPCMO nanoparticle confirmed its single-crystalline nature. FTIR spectra identify the characteristic Mn–O bond stretching vibration mode near 600 cm− 1, which shifts towards high wavenumbers with increasing post-annealing temperature or Pr-doping concentration, resulting in further distortion of the MnO6 octahedron. XPS revealed dual oxidation states of Mn3+ and Mn4+ in the LPCMO nanoparticles. UV-vis absorption spectra confirm the semiconducting nature of the LPCMO nanoparticles with optical bandgaps of 2.55–2.71 eV. Magnetic measurements as a function of temperature and magnetic field at field cooling and zero-field cooling modes, provided a Curie temperature around 230 K, saturation magnetization of about 81 emu/g, and coercive field of 390 Oe at 10 K. Such magnetic properties and the semiconducting nature of the LPCMO nanoparticles will make them as suitable candidate for magnetic semiconductor spintronics. |
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| ISSN: | 1931-7573 1556-276X |