Formation and superparamagnetic behaviors of LaFeO3 nanoparticles

Formation of LaFeO3 nanoparticles obtained from thermal decomposition of organometallic precursors was investigated as a function of the heat-treatment temperature. The precursors heat-treated below 300°C were amorphous, but above 350°C a single-phase of nanocrystalline LaFeO3 was formed. The LaFeO3 nanoparticles showed the superparamagnetic behavior in both magnetization and Mössbauer measurements. With increasing heat-treatment temperature, the crystallite size of LaFeO3 nanoparticles was gradually increased. The quadrupole splitting and isomer shift of paramagnetic doublet pattern were affected by the growth of LaFeO3 particles.