PREPARATION OF PEROVSKITE-TYPE LAFEO3 POWDERS BY AMORPHOUS CITRATE PROCESS

Perovskite-type LaFeO3 powders were prepared by an amorphous citrate process. Lanthanum(III) oxide and iron(III) nitrate as starting materials were mixed with citric acid, then stirred and dried into precursor gel. This gel was calcined at 400-1000-degrees-C for 30 min-5 h. The single phase of LaFeO3 powders has been obtained when calcined at the temperatures above 600-degrees-C. The crystallite sizes of the material were 15-40 nm, and increased as calcining temperature increased. The lattice constants were independent to the calcining conditions and almost the same as the known value. The shape of the grains were plate-like obtained by the amorphous citrate process and rounded by the solid state reaction.