Room Temperature Ferromagnetic Behavior of Nanocrystalline LaFeO3 Perovskite Oxide Synthesized Through Phytochemical Mediated Combustion Technique.

LaFeO3 perovskite oxide were synthesized through solution combustion technique using ascorbic acid as phytochemical fuel. The sample was characterized using techniques such as XRD, FTIR, UV-Visible spectroscopy, SEM with EDX and XPS. The magnetic hysteresis behavior was studied using VSM measurement at room temperature. The orthorhombic primitive lattices of LaFeO3 under the space group Pnma was confirmed from XRD pattern and the lattice parameters were obtained using Rietveld profile refinement. The crystallographic structure and lattice parameters were found consistent with the data presented in the ICDD PCPDFWIN Number 37-1493 file. Using Scherrer equation the average crystallite size (26 nm) was estimated. The strain separated effective crystallite size (35 nm) was estimated using the model suggested by Williamson–Hall. The M–O bond vibration bands correspond to LaFeO3 crystal lattice were elucidated from FTIR spectrum. Using the raw reflectance data from UV-Visible spectrum, Tauc' plot analysis employing Kubelka Munk function was performed; from which the optical direct band gap (2.41 eV) was estimated. The particle size distribution and elemental composition were estimated from SEM with EDX. The binding energies obtained from deconvoluted XPS spectra accurately provide the valence state electronic configuration corresponding to La and Fe atoms in the prepared LaFeO3 sample. The weak ferromagnetic relaxation with finite coercivity (0.18248 kOe) and remanent magnetization (0.2825 emu. g−1) was estimated from M–H curve analysis using VSM data at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]