A simple way to prepare nanosized LaFeO3 powders at room temperature

Nanosized LaFeO3 powders of 30 nm particle size were directly prepared by sol-gel auto-combustion at room temperature. The overall process involves three steps: formation of homogeneous sol; formation of dried gel; and combustion of the dried gel. Experiments revealed that LaFeO3 dried gel derived from citrate and nitrate sol exhibits self-propagating combustion at room temperature once it is ignited in air. After auto-combustion, the gel directly transforms into nanosized LaFeO3 particles. The auto-combustion was considered as a heat-induced exothermic oxidation–reduction reaction between nitrate ions and carboxyl group. Differential thermal analysis–thermogravimetry (DTA–TG) was used to study the decomposition of the precursor. The structure of the nanosized LaFeO3 powders was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD).