Optical and Structural Properties of Lanthanum Chromite Synthesized by Microwave Assisted Self-Combustion Method

Abstract

Lanthanum chromite is a perovskite oxide type, which exhibit high mechanical and chemical stability, high electric conductivity for use in SOFC and catalytic activity for the oxidation reaction. However, their optical properties have not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to synthesize lanthanum chromite by the microwave assisted self-combustion method for use as ceramic pigment. The resulting precursor powders were calcined at 800 to 1000 ° C to obtain the perovskite phase and characterized by X-ray diffraction, followed by Rietveld refinement, UV-Visible and colorimetry. The results revealed porous powders, nanometric, and single-phase with orthorhombic perovskite structure. There was few change in the colorimetric parameters, the chromites presented colours with gray tones which became darker in the calcined powder at higher temperatures.