Synthesis, structure, morphology, magnetism, and magnetocaloric-effect studies of (La1−xPrx)0.7Sr0.3MnO3 nanocrystalline perovskites

Abstract

Single-Phase (La1–xPrx)0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0) perovskites were synthesized by the sol–gel method followed by sintering at 700 °C for 5 h. Samples with x = 0.0–0.4 are found to crystallize into rhombohedral structure (R-3c space group) while the ones with x = 0.6–1.0 crystallize into orthorhombic structure (Pbnm space group). The average particle size of the samples was in the range of 21–44 nm. All samples exhibit a ferromagnetic to paramagnetic second-order magnetic phase transition at Curie temperature, which is found to decrease linearly with increasing the Pr concentration. The magnetic coercivity was found to be small (~ 10 Oe) for all the samples, at T