Influence of sintering temperature on the structural, electrical transport and magnetic behaviour of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 prepared through co-precipitation technique

In this communication, report of nanostructured polycrystalline La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) prepared through a co-precipitation technique at 800 degrees C, 900 degrees C and 1000 degrees C is discussed in detail. The structural, electrical transport, magnetoresistance and magnetic properties of LSMO samples were found strongly dependent on the sintering temperature (TS). Structural properties were studied through XRD and SEM. The results of Rietveld refined XRD data show that all the samples are in tetragonal arrangement and having singlephase structure with space group I4/mcm (14 0). The average size of synthesized nanoparticles was found increasing (21.05 nm to 46.06 nm) with increase in sintering temperature. A significant increase in metal-insulator transition temperature (TMI) was observed at higher sintering temperatures. Higher sintering temperature results in the enhancement of resistivity. To understand the metallic part of resistivity (T < TMI) including upturn behavior, resistivity data with and without magnetic field were fitted using Kondo like spin-dependent scattering, electron-electron (e-e), electron-phonon (e-p) and electronmagnon (e-m) scattering. The decrement in magnetoresistance (MR) in the wide temperature range has been explained by spin-polarized tunnelling in this communication. Magnetic properties were examined through M-H measurements and found the highest value of magnetization for the sample sintered at 1000 degrees C. (c) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Recent Advancements in Materials science And Nanotechnology conference.