Pure and doped lanthanum manganites obtained by combustion method

Pure and strontium-doped lanthanum manganite nanopowders were obtained by solution combustion method using metal nitrates as oxidants and different organic compounds as fuel (alpha-alanine, glycine, urea and semioxamazide). Different molar ratios, fuel/oxidant, were chosen to study the effect of the fuel content on the phase formation and powder properties. The complex precursors isolated before ignition of the system, were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and thermal analysis. After ignition, the as-synthesized powders were calcined at different temperatures for obtaining single phases. Lanthanum manganite powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), specific surface area and magnetic measurements. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.