Synthesis of pure and Sr-doped LaGaO3, LaFeO3 and LaCoO3 and Sr,Mg-doped LaGaO3 for ITSOFC application using different wet chemical routes

Pure and Sr-doped LaGaO3, LaFeO3 and LaCoO3 and Sr,Mg-doped LaGaO3 were synthesized by various wet chemical routes, namely combustion, co-precipitation and citrate-gel methods. The effect of the various process parameters on the phase purity, particle size and surface area and morphology of the synthesized powders were determined by XRD, simultaneous TG-DTA, laser light scattering, BET and scanning electron microscopy. The stability of the synthesized pure phases in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere was also studied by thermogravimetry. It was observed that pure and Sr-doped single perovskite phases of lanthanum ferrite, cobaltite and gallate and Sr,Mg-doped lanthanum gallate could be synthesized by combustion and citrate-gel methods under suitable process conditions. Synthesis using the co-precipitation method yielded incomplete reaction irrespective of the calcination temperature adopted. The citrate-gel method yielded better powder properties in terms of particle size and morphology and surface area compared to combustion synthesis. It was found that pure and Sr-doped lanthanum ferrite, lanthanum cobaltite, lanthanum gallate and Sr,Mg-doped lanthanum gallate were stable in the oxidizing atmosphere. In the reducing atmosphere, pure and Sr-doped lanthanum ferrite and Sr,Mg-doped lanthanum gallate was found to be stable at least during the timeframe of the thermogravimetric experiment whereas pure and Sr-doped lanthanum cobaltite was partially reduced in hydrogen atmosphere.