Low-temperature synthesis, structural and magnetic properties of self-dopant LaMnO3+δ nanoparticles from a metal-organic polymeric precursor

Self-dopant LaMnO3+delta nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by metal citrate complex method based on Pechini-type reaction route, at low temperature (773 K). Powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope revealed pure and nanostructured phase of LaMnO3+delta (delta = 0.125) with an average grain size of similar to 72 nm (773 K) and similar to 80 nm (1173 K). DC-magnetization measurements under an applied magnetic field of H = +/- 60 kOe showed an increase in the magnetization with the increase of calcination temperature. Ferromagnetic nature shown by non-stoichiometric LaMnO3+delta was verified by well-defined hysteresis loop with large remanent magnetization (M-r) and coercive field (H-c). Surface areas of LaMnO3+delta nanoparticles were found to be 157.4 and 153 m(2) g(-1) for the samples annealed at 773 K and 1173 K, respectively. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.