Fabrication, characterization, and electrical conductivity properties of Pr6O11 nanoparticles

Pr₆O₁₁ nanoparticles were obtained by subsequent thermal decomposition of the as-prepared precipitate formed under ambient temperature and pressure using NaOH as precipitant. The calcination process was affected, for 1 h in static air atmosphere, at 400–700 °C temperature range. The different samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), in situ electrical conductivity, and N₂ adsorption/desorption. The obtained results demonstrated that nano-crystalline Pr₆O₁₁, with crystallites size of 6–12 nm, started to form at 500 °C. Such value increased to 20–33 nm for the sample calcined at 700 °C. The as-synthesized Pr₆O₁₁ nanoparticles presented high electrical conductivity due to electron hopping between Pr(III)-Pr(IV) pairs.