Abstract

Nanocrystalline La0.15Ca0.85MnO3 samples of various grain sizes ranging from ∼17 to 42 nm have been prepared by sol-gel technique. Phase purity and composition were verified by room temperature x-ray diffraction and SEM-EDAX analysis. the bulk La0.15Ca0.85MnO3 is known to order antiferromagnetically around 170 K and to undergo a simultaneous crystal structural transition. DC magnetization measurements on 17 nm size La0.15Ca0.85MnO3 show a peak at ∼130 K (T N) in zero-field-cooled (ZFC) state. Field-cooled magnetization bifurcates from ZFC data around 200 K hinting a weak ferromagnetic component near room temperature due to surface moments of the nanoparticle sample. Low temperature powder neutron diffraction experiments reveal that the incomplete structural transition from room temperature orthorhombic to low temperature orthorhombic-monoclinic state also occurs in the nanoparticle sample as in the bulk. Magnetization in the ordered state decreases as particle size increases, thus indicating the reduction of the competing ferromagnetic surface moments. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

Department(s)

Physics

Publication Status

Available Access

Comments

Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India, Grant None

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0021-8979

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Final Version

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2024 American Institute of Physics, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Apr 2012

Included in

Physics Commons

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