Exploring the polyvinyl alcohol method for preparing cuprates and manganites

The polyvinyl alcohol route is investigated in the formation of cuprate and manganite ceramics. By evaporation of the nitrate solution containing the stoichiometric quantities of the cations and the PVA, a spongy mass is produced, which upon a single calcination converts into the desired phases. We chose YBa2Cu3Oy, a high temperature superconductor, and La2/3Ca1/3MnO3, a perovskite manganite showing colossal magnetoresistance as case studies for the preparation of technological interesting ceramic powders. XRD is employed to monitor the phase transformation leading to the single phases. Moreover, carbon content in the final powders is measured to assure complete elimination of carbonaceous species. This preliminar study shows that the PVA solution can be a potentially interesting technique to prepare these advanced ceramic powders as compared to classical ceramic methods.