Abstract: Powder of La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-α (LSCO) was synthesized
by a combined citrate-EDTA method. The as-synthesized LSCO
powder was calcined, respectively at temperatures of 800, 900 and
1000 °C with different heating/cooling rates which are 2, 5, 10 and
15 °C min-1. The effects of heat treatments on the phase formation of
perovskite phase of LSCO were investigated by powder X-ray
diffraction (XRD). The XRD patterns revealed that the rate of
5 °C min-1 is the optimum heating/cooling rate to obtain a single
perovskite phase of LSCO with calcination temperature of 800 °C.
This result was confirmed by a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) as
it showed a complete decomposition of intermediate compounds to
form oxide material was also observed at 800 °C.