Sol Gel Synthesis And Characterization Studies Of Cupromanganite Cacu3mn4o12

A single-phase CaCu3Mn4O12 electroceramic had been prepared via sol gel method and fairly well densified at relative low temperature under atmospheric condition where the crystallization of CaCu3Mn4O12 occurred due to amorphous polymeric mixture. The precursor was prepared by mixing the solutions with 0.6 M citric acid (C6H8O7) as a chelating reagent with the mol ratio 1:2. The precursor gel formed was calcined and sintered at range 400 degrees C to 800 degrees C by varying dwell time. Material formations under the reported conditions have been confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that the formation of CaCu3Mn4O12 started at 500 degrees C and was formed completely at 700 degrees C for 18 hours. The microstructure of all CaCu3Mn4O12 was analysed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). A smaller particle size with higher grain boundary was obtained at sintering 700 degrees C to 800 degrees C. FESEM results show the significant influence of calcinations and sintering parameter on the microstructure behaviour of CaCu2Mn4O12.