Effect of Fe₂O₃ crystallite size on its mechanochemical reaction with La₂O₃ to form LaFeO₃

Fe₂O₃ powders with different crystalline sizes prepared by heating FeOOH at various temperatures were ground with La₂O₃ powder using a planetary ball mill to investigate the effect of crystallite size on mechanochemical synthesis of LaFeO₃. Fe₂O₃ powder with smaller crystallite size obtained by heating at lower temperature reacts more easily with La₂O₃ than that with larger size. The mechanochemical reaction proceeds with an increase in grinding time. Specific surface area of the LaFeO₃ powder synthesized has a large value of over 11 m²/g. The mechanochemical process can be also applied to synthesize other iron complex oxides with rare earth elements such as Pr, Nd and Sm.