Synthesis process and structural characterization of the Sr2EuRuO6 complex perovskite

The Sr2EuRuO6 complex perovskite has been synthesized by the solid-state reaction method and the crystal structure, surface morphology and composition have been investigated. Results of powder X-ray diffraction measurements and Rietveld analysis show that this compound crystallizes in a monoclinic distorted perovskite-type structure, which belongs to the monoclinic P2(1)/n (#14) space group, that corresponds to the (a(+)b(-)b(-)) tilt system on the Glazer notation. The structure presents an alternating distribution of the Ru5+ and Eu3+ ions on the six coordinate M sites, while the Sr2+ is located in the A-site of the Sr2EuRuO6 complex perovskite, with lattice parameters a = 5.7996(5) angstrom, b = 5.8960(7) angstrom, c = 8.3234(6) angstrom, angle beta = 90.234(7)degrees and V = 284.61(4) angstrom(3). Morphological analysis of this material, performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), allows to establish the granular feature of compound with agglomerates from amongst approximate to 1 to 3 mu m size, and by means of the Scherrer formula was calculated a particle size of D = 34.2 nm. Result suggests that crystal structure of the Sr2EuRuO6 suffers grain size-induced polarization rotation, which produces a phase transition toward monoclinic phase P2(1)/n (#14). The activation energy E-a is close to E-a = 39.6 kJ/mol. Suggesting that during the sintering process of the Sr2EuRuO6 is delivering oxygen species that should in fact lower the activation energy E-a of the compound. Semi-quantitative compositional study was carried out from energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) experiments in order to obtain the independent elements percentage of the Sr2EuRuO6 complex perovskite. (C) 2011 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.