Studies on structural, morphological and electroresistance properties of sol–gel grown nanostructured PrMnO3

We report the results of the studies on structural, microstructural and transport properties of nanostructured PrMnO3 (PMO) synthesized by acetate precursor based modified sol-gel route. Role of sintering temperature in the modifications in the physical properties of PMO samples has been studied. Structural analysis, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), reveals the single phasic nature of all the PMO samples, while analysis of TEM reveals the uniform sized distribution of nanoparticles, showing agglomeration effect in samples sintered at higher temperatures. SEM micrographs depict the increase in grain size with sharp boundaries in the samples sintered at higher temperatures. Sintering temperature and size dependent resistivity behavior under different applied electric fields has been understood in the context of grain size and boundary nature. PMO have also been studied for their electroresistance (ER) and electric pulse induced resistance (EPIR) change behavior which are highly useful features for spintronic based practical applications.