Determination of the crystalline size of hexagonal La(1−x)Sr(x)MnO(3) (x = 0.3) nanoparticles from X-ray diffraction – a comparative study

The electronic, magnetic, optical and elastic properties of nanomaterials are governed partially by the crystallite size and crystal defects. Here, the crystalline size of hexagonal La(1−x)Sr(x)MnO(3) (x = 0.3) nanoparticles was determined using various methods. Single-phase La(0.7)Sr(0.3)MnO(3) nanopowders were produced after 10 h of milling in a commercial high-energy SPEX 8000D shaker mill, and then they were heated at 700 °C and 800 °C to study the effect of calcined temperature on the crystallization of nanoparticles. The modified Scherrer, Williamson–Hall, size–strain, and Halder–Wagner methods were used to determine the crystallite sizes and the elastic properties, such as intrinsic strain, stress, and energy density, from the X-ray diffraction peak broadening analysis. The obtained results were then compared with one another. The difference in crystallite sizes calculated from the different methods was due to the different techniques.