ENERGY-EFFICIENT METHOD OF LaCrO₃ PREPARATION FROM GLYCINE-NITRATE PRECURSOR

The work deals with the development of methods for the synthesis of nanosized materials and proposes a novel approach to the synthesis of nano-dispersed LaCrO₃ (crystallite size 350 Å, specific surface area 27 m² /g) with a small content of impurities by one-step combustion without the stage of high-temperature calcinations. The method involves preparation of solid-state glycine-nitrate precursor, its pelletization and subsequent decomposition during self-propagating high-temperature synthesis. Based on the results of elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy, the main types of the components’ interactions in Cr- and LaCr-containing precursors have been established depending on the method of their preparation. For the first time, the results of the influence of the addition of ammonia water solution to the composition of the precursors have been presented. These results have allowed for an interpretation of their thermal analysis data. The obtained products of the combustion have been analyzed by a series of physicochemical methods: X-ray diffraction, attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron spectroscopy, thermal analysis, measurements of the specific surface area. It is established that the precursors composition, the conditions and rate of combustion determine the dispersion and purity of the forming oxide phase. Under the conditions of the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis the product forms at a higher temperature which ensures a high yield of a well-crystallized phase of the perovskite as compared with the volume combustion synthesis. It has been demonstrated a negative influence of the addition of an ammonia solution to the Cr-containing precursors on the phase composition of the combustion product which leads to formation of compounds with a higher onset temperature of their thermolysis. The obtained results may be useful in the synthesis of materials for solid-oxide fuel cells, a new generation of photocatalysts and photoelectrodes for the production of hydrogen under visible light, of membranes and of catalysts for a wide range of various processes.

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