Sonochemical synthesis of nanocrystalline LaFeO₃

Nanocrystalline perovskite-type LaFeO₃ with particle size of about 30 nm was prepared by a sonochemical method using iron pentacarbonyl and lanthanum carbonate as starting materials. The overall process involves three steps: formation of lanthanum carbonate using lanthanum nitrate and urea; reaction of the so-formed lanthanum carbonate with iron pentacarbonyl resulting in the formation of a precursor; calcination of the precursor to obtain nanocrystalline particles of LaFeO₃. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the particles to have a mean size of about 30 nm. Study of the magnetic properties of nanocrystalline LaFeO₃ particles shows a coercivity of ∼250 Oe, while the saturation magnetization is ∼40 memu g^-1.