Pure and Ca-doped LaCoO3 nanopowders: synthesis, characterization and magnetic properties

This work is focused on the sol-gel synthesis of pure and Ca-doped LaCoO3 nanopowders. The samples were prepared starting from methanolic solutions of cobalt (II) acetate (Co(CH3COO)2*4H2O), lanthanum (III) nitrate (La(NO3)3*6H2O) and calcium (II) acetate (Ca(CH3COO)2*H2O). After solvent evaporation, the obtained powders were dried under vacuum and subsequently treated in air up to 1273 K. The system evolution under thermal annealing was studied by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), while the chemical composition was analyzed by X-ray Photoelectron (XPS) and X-ray Excited Auger electron (XE-AES) spectroscopies. The temperature and field dependence of the magnetic properties of the Ca-doped samples were investigated, and compared to those of the corresponding pure LaCoO3 powders