Synthesis of La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ Nanosized Powder Materials by Versatile Chemical Technique

A simple low cost novel synthesis method was developed to prepare nanosized La_0.67Ca_0.3MnO₃ (LCMO) without any requirement of a calcinations step at high temperature. Powders synthesized by a new chemical technique were fine and nano‐sized with high purity perovskite structure. The size and topography of the oxides are dependent on the calcinating temperature of the precursors. The resulting particle size is in the range of 20 to 100 nm as determined by transmission electron microscopy. The magnetization of LCMO nanophase is strikingly dependent on the particle size. The sample prepared from 600°C calcined sample sintered at 1200°C for 4 hour shows metal‐to‐insulator transitions at around 265 K. Bulk LCMO prepared from these powders shows excellent structural, magnetic and magneto‐transport properties.

Keywords:

• chemical synthesis
• colossal magnetoresistance
• magnetic properties
• nanostructures

Authors are thankful to Director, Micro/Nano center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan for the characterization facility.