Mechanical properties of bulk and nanostructured La0.61Sr0.39MnO3 perovskite manganite materials

Ultrasonic non-destructive measurement is a versatile and sensitive tool for evaluating the mechanical properties of solids. La0.61Sr0.39MnO3 perovskite magnetic material in bulk and at nanoscale was prepared by solid-state reaction and sonochemical reactor methods, respectively. Evaluation of the mechanical properties of the prepared bulk and nano samples was made through on-line ultrasonic velocity measurements over a wide range of temperature from 300 to 400 K. The observed anomalous behaviour in elastic moduli was used to explore the phase transition temperature (Curie temperature TO, that is, from paramagnetic (PM) to ferromagnetic (FM) phase, both in bulk and nanostructured perovskite samples. Further, the behaviour of phase transition both in bulk and nano perovskites was explored through the observed anomalous behaviour. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.