A novel method for the synthesis of perovskite-type mixed metal oxides by the inverse microemulsion technique

Nanoparticles of lanthanum-nickel, lanthanum-copper and barium-lead oxalates with the metal molar ratios of 1:1, 2:1 and 1:1, respectively, were successfully synthesised in inverse microemulsions. These metal oxalate particles of about 20 nm diameter were readily calcined into single-phase perovskite-type LaNiO3, La2CuO4 and BaPbO3. The calcination temperatures for these metal oxalates were generally 100-250 C lower than those for the metal oxalates prepared by the conventional aqueous solution precipitation method. The substantial reduction in the calcination temperatures is attributed to the formation of uniform, near-spherical nanoparticles of the metal oxalate precursors obtained by the unique inverse microemulsion technique. 26 refs.