Preparation of nanosized LaCoO3 perovskite oxide using amorphous heteronuclear complex as a precursor at low temperature

Nanosized LaCoO3 cobaltite oxide powder with perovskite structure was successfully synthesized at a relatively low calcination temperature using an amorphous heteronuclear complex, LaCo(DTPA)·6H2O, as a precursor. The precursor decomposed completely into cobaltite oxide above 400 °C according to the DTA and TGA results. XPS revealed that the decomposed species was composed of LaCoO3 cobaltite oxide after the precursor was calcined at 500 °C for 2 hours. XRD demonstrated that nanosized LaCoO3 crystalline powder with perovskite structure was formed after the calcination temperature increased to 600 °C. The grain size and the crystal size of LaCoO3 increased with the calcination temperature from 500 °C to 800 °C, and the heat-treatment time has a less obvious effect on the grain size and the crystal size. It is a useful way to synthesize nanosized perovskite oxides using an amorphous complex as a precursor. This method can be easily quantitatively controlled.