Determination of the crystalline size of hexagonal La_1−<i>x</i>Sr_<i>x</i>MnO₃ (<i>x</i> = 0.3) nanoparticles from X-ray diffraction – a comparative study

Abstract

The electronic, magnetic, optical and elastic properties of nanomaterials are governed partially by the crystallite size and crystal defects. Here, the crystalline size of hexagonal La_1-<i>x</i>Sr_<i>x</i>MnO₃ (<i>x</i> = 0.3) nanoparticles was determined using various methods. Single-phase La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ nanopowders were produced after 10 h of milling in a commercial high-energy SPEX 8000D shaker mill, and then they were heated at 700 °C and 800 °C to study the effect of calcined temperature on the crystallization of nanoparticles. The modified Scherrer, Williamson-Hall, size-strain, and Halder-Wagner methods were used to determine the crystallite sizes and the elastic properties, such as intrinsic strain, stress, and energy density, from the X-ray diffraction peak broadening analysis. The obtained results were then compared with one another. The difference in crystallite sizes calculated from the different methods was due to the different techniques.