Microwave-assisted synthesis: A fast and efficient route to produce LaMO3 (M=Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co) perovskite materials

A series of lanthanum perovskites, LaMO3 (M=Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co), having important technological applications, have been successfully prepared by a very fast, inexpensive, reproducible, environment-friendly method: the microwave irradiation of the corresponding mixtures of nitrates. Worth to note, the microwave source is a domestic microwave oven. In some cases the reaction takes place in a single step, while sometimes further annealings are necessary. For doped materials the method has to be combined with others such as sol–gel. Usually, nanopowders are produced which yield high density pellets after sintering. Rietveld analysis, oxygen stoichiometry, microstructure and magnetic measurements are presented.