Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Sm-Sr Nickelates

The main purpose of this work was to obtain Sm-Sr nickelates nanoparticles with Ruddelsden-Popper type structures obtained by a simple process such as gelatin synthesis. The powders were calcinated at 900 ℃ and characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy techniques. The effect of chemical substitution of the Sm^3＋ by Sr^2＋ ions on the structural properties of the powders was studied. The Rietveld＇s method was successfully applied for determination of the quantitative phase analysis of the powders and revealed that the main phase of the powders for different strontium content is of Ruddelsden-Popper type structure. A symmetry change from orthorhombic to tetragonal is observed as increasing strontium.