Design of process for stabilization of La2NiMnO6 nanorods and their magnetic properties

[Display omitted] •La2NiMnO6 nanorods have been synthesized by hydrothermal process.•Effect of anisotropic morphology on the magnetic properties was studied.•Higher value of effective paramagnetic moment was observed. In the present study, we have developed a process to stabilize La2NiMnO6 (LNMO) nanorods via hydrothermal process using cetyl trimethylammonium bromide as a capping agent. One dimensional morphology (nanorods) of LNMO leads to MnO6 octahedral expansion that contributed to the overall expansion in LNMO unit cell. Large shape anisotropy of nanorods carries structural (unit cell) modification in the form of horizontal and vertical tilt of NiO6 and MnO6 octahedra along the c axis. Large saturation magnetization Ms is observed for LNMO nanorods as compared to that of their bulk and nanoparticles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis confirmed the large Ms values observed for nanorods could be attributed to mixed valence states of magnetic ions at B-site (Mn3+, Mn4+, Ni2+, Ni3+). The optical studies of LNMO nanorods shows that the observed band gap (Eg: 1.9 eV) is considerably larger than band gap reported for bulk LMNO (Eg: 1.2–1.4 eV). The enhanced saturation magnetization of nanorods is consistent with a structurally ordered single phase material with very few antisite defects.