Characterizations of trimetallic heteronuclear Bi1–xLax[Fe(CN)6]Æn(H2O) complexes and their thermal decomposition products

Heteronuclear Bi1–xLax[Fe(CN)6]ÆnH2O complexes were synthesized, and their crystal structures and thermal decomposition process were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) with scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystal system of the complexes was orthorhombic having n = 4 for x = 0–0.7 and was hexagonal having n = 5 for x = 1.0. Their mixture was confirmed for x = 0.8 and 0.9. The lattice parameters for the orthorhombic increased with increasing the x value for the complexes. The single phase of trimetallic perovskite-type Bi1–xLaxFeO3 was obtained by its thermal decomposition at low temperature. The crystal system was hexagonal for BiFeO3 (x = 0) and orthorhombic for x = 0.1–1.0. In the case of the decomposed perovskite sample, the lattice parameters decreased with increasing x values for Bi1–xLaxFeO3. The particle size was ca. 30 nm for Bi0.2- La0.8FeO3 obtained by thermal decomposition at 500 C and it grew with an increase in decomposition temperature. For the Bi0.5La0.5FeO3, AES showed that the elemental distributions of Bi, La, and Fe on the surface were very homogeneous for the sample decomposed at 700 C.