Synthesis, structural and magnetic properties of La1-xCaxFeO3 prepared by the co-precipitation method

Lanthanum calcium ferrite La1-xCaxFeO3 (where x = 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15) were synthesized by co-precipitation method. The structural refinement confirmed that all samples formed with the orthorhombic (Pbmn) structure with small impurities (LaFeO3 and Fe2O3). Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) results indicated that the electronic imbalance caused by the partial substitution for La3 + by Ca2 + is compensated by an oxidation state of iron ions. Mossbauer spectra at room temperature (RT) show five 6-line sub-spectra corresponding to Fe3 + (superposition of 3 spectra), Fe4 + and Fe5 + in all samples. Magnetic hysteresis loops of these samples showed a significant weak ferromagnetic component at RT.