Microwave-assisted synthesis: A fast and efficient route to produce LaMO3 (M = Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co) perovskite materials

A series of lanthanum perovskites, LaMO3 (M = Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co), having important technological applications, have been successfully prepared by a very fast, inexpensive, reproducible, environment-friendly method: the microwave irradiation of the corresponding mixtures of nitrates. Worth to note, the microwave source is a domestic microwave oven. In some cases the reaction takes place in a single step, while sometimes further annealings are necessary. For doped materials the method has to be combined with others such as sol-gel. Usually, nanopowders are produced which yield high density pellets after sintering. Rietveld analysis, oxygen stoichiometry, microstructure and magnetic measurements are presented. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.