Title: Microstructure of La_0.7Sr_0.3Mn_1­xZn_xO₃ nano-perovskites investigated by electron microscopy technique

Authors: Tran Thi Minh Nguyet, Tran Que Chi, Luu Tien Hung, Michael Hietschold

Addresses: Institute of Material Sciences, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi City, Vietnam. ' Institute of Material Sciences, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi City, Vietnam. ' Department of Physics, Vinh University, 182 Le Duan Street, Vinh City, Nghe An Province, Vietnam. ' Institute of Physics, TU-Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Germany

Abstract: The nano-perovskites La_0.7Sr_0.3Mn_1­xZn_xO₃ (x = 0, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4) synthesised by citrate sol-gel method were studied by using Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) in the bright-field and dark-field configurations. The obtained results show that the grain size and morphology depend on both the Zn-content and calcinating temperature. The synthesised nanoparticles have grain sizes distributed in the range of 10-40 nm, appearing in sphere and peanut-bulb morphology. Influences of various synthesis conditions on the formation of crystalline structure and relation between grain sizes, particle morphology, specific surface area (BET) and catalytic activity of nanomaterial were discussed.

Keywords: microstructure; nanometre perovskites; SAED; selected area electron diffraction; HRTEM; high-resolution TEM; transmission electron microscopy; sol-gel; nanotechnology; grain size; particle morphology; zinc; calcinating temperature; nanoparticles; nanomaterials.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2011.038204

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2011 Vol.8 No.3/4/5, pp.268 - 277

Published online: 21 Jan 2011 *

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