Glycine-nitrate combustion synthesis of CeFeO3-based nanocrystalline powders

Abstract

Glycine-nitrate combustion method was used to obtain powders based on CeFeO₃ nanocrystals with average crystallite size in the range from 33 ± 3 to 51 ± 5 nm. The influence exerted by parameters of the glycine-nitrate combustion process and, in particular, by the glycine-nitrate ratio (G/N) on the composition and crystallite size of the synthesis products was determined. The optimal G/N ratio at which nanocrystalline cerium orthoferrite is formed with the minimum amount of impurity phases Fe₂O₃ and CeO₂ was found to be 0.8. It was demonstrated that the composition of the starting solution affects the nature of the phase heterogeneity in the resulting product, crystallite size, and porosity of the nanocrystalline powders being formed. The patterns determined in the study make it possible to optimize the technology of nanocrystalline powders based on CeFeO₃ in order to obtain powders with prescribed phase composition and crystallite sizes to enable their use as a basis for photocatalytic materials.