Synthesis and Characterizations of LaMnO3 Perovskite Powders Using Sol-Gel Method 

Abstract

The present research demonstrates the synthesis and characterization of LaMnO3 perovskite powders using the sol-gel technique for dye-sensitive solar cell applications. With this respect, transparent solutions were prepared from La and Mn based precursors, distilled water and citric acid monohydrate. Ammonium hydroxide was incorporated into the La-Mn solution in order to neutralize/precipitate at 24oC for 1 hour in the air. The solution was allowed to evaporate on a hot plate device at 90 °C in the air. The obtained solutions were dried at 90 oC for 24 hours to form a xerogel structure, dried at 200 oC for 2 hours and consequently annealed at 500 and 850 oC for 2 hours in the air. Thermal, structural, microstructural, optical and magnetic properties of the powders were characterized through differential thermal analysis-thermogravimetry (DTA-TG), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Malvern zeta sizer (PSD), UV-vis spectrometer and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The obtained results indicate promise, especially the low band range, that LaMnO3 powders can be used in dye-sensitized solar cells and can positively affect performance and efficiency.