Auto-combustion synthesis and characterization of perovskite-type LaFeO3 nanocrystals prepared via different routes

LaFeO3 was prepared via simple, economical and environmentally friendly auto-combustion methods using different fuels, including citrate, urea, sucrose, egg whites, gelatin and chitosan. The prepared ferrites were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and electrical measurements to study the impact of the synthetic routes on the various properties. XRD showed the formation of a single orthorhombic phase, except for the samples prepared via egg white, gelatin and urea methods, which indicated a secondary La2O2CO3 phase. The FT-IR and TEM studies confirmed the formation of the phase. Differential thermal analysis-thermogravimetry techniques (DTA-TG) were used to characterize the auto-combustion process up to ferrite formation. The obtained unsaturated magnetization for all of the samples suggested the presence of anti-ferromagnetic ordering in addition to weak ferromagnetic ordering. The egg white method showed higher magnetization (1.78 emu/g), while the urea and chitosan methods indicated lower magnetization (0.13 emu/g). The coercivity measurements confirmed the presence of ferromagnetic/anti-ferromagnetic interfaces with higher values than those reported in the literature. The AC-conductivity measurements indicated semiconducting characteristics and exhibited a change in the conduction mechanism from hopping to polaron conduction by increasing the temperature. LaFeO3 prepared via the egg white method indicated an anti-ferromagnetic/paramagnetic transition at approximately 715 K. The dielectric measurements confirmed the AC-conductivity results and exhibited values higher than those reported in the literature.