Structural, optical and magnetic properties of the nanosized perovskite-like DyFeO3 prepared by modified co-precipitation method

In this work, DyFeO3 nanoparticles were synthesized by an improved co-precipitation method via the hydrolysis of Dy3+ and Fe3+ cations in boiling water, using a 5% ammonia solution as the precipitation agent. The physicochemical characteristics of the samples calcined at 750, 850, and 950 °C for 60 min were evaluated using FTIR, Raman, PXRD, EDX, SEM, TEM, DRS, and VSM methods. The stable single-phase DyFeO3 perovskite nanocrystals were obtained after calcination of the dried precursor at 750, 850, and 950 °C. According to PXRD, the average size of DyFeO3 crystals was calculated to be approximately 36–50 nm. The results revealed a homogeneous distribution of the main elements on the samples’ surfaces, with morphology consisting of isometric and highly agglomerated nanoparticles; the size of most DyFeO3 nanoparticles calcined at 850 °C distributed in the range of 30–50 nm. In the applied field from − 15 to + 15 kOe, the sample calcined at 850 and 950 °C had low values of coercive field (Hc = 1.4 × 10−2–1.8 × 10−2 Oe) and remanent magnetization (Mr = 1.10 × 10−7–0.54 × 10−7 emu g−1, but high values of net magnetization (Mn = 2.69–2.75 emu g−1); the samples appeared to behave as paramagnetic materials. The DyFeO3-850 °C and DyFeO3-950 °C samples demonstrated a high absorbance at wavelengths of 400–600 nm, with low values of direct bandgap (Eg = 2.31–2.15 eV).