the usual and a modified citrate gel precursor method, and the effects on the formation of
homogeneous nano-sized powder with a perovskite structure were investigated. In the
modified method, single phase La0. 6Ca0. 4MnO3 powder with an average particle size of
17.2 nm was obtained when the powder was pyrolyzed at 520° C for 2 h. Its specific surface
area was 40.7 m2 g− 1, about 4-fold larger than that of powder made by the usual citrate gel …