Synthesis, characterization and magnetic properties of LaFeO3 nanoparticles by EDTA assisted Sol-Gel method

Abstract

In this study, phase-pure orthorhombic perovskite-type LaFeO₃ (LFO) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized at 450 °C using the Sol-Gel auto-combustion method, employing EDTA as a complexing agent. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. XRD analysis, supported by Rietveld refinement, confirmed the formation of a single-phase perovskite orthorhombic structure (space group Pbnm) with a crystallite size of 25 nm. SQUID magnetometry revealed unsaturated magnetization, remanence, and coercivity in the low-field region at both 5 K and 300 K, indicating predominant antiferromagnetic ordering with a weak ferromagnetic component. Notably, the synthesized LaFeO₃ nanoparticles exhibited high coercivity values of 880 Oe at 5 K and 3450 Oe at 300 K significantly higher than previously reported highlighting their potential for use in magnetic memory applications.