Synthesis and structural characterization of perovskite YFeO3 by thermal decomposition of a cyano complex precursor, Y[Fe(CN)6]·4H2O

The thermal decomposition of Y[Fe(CN)6]·4H2O has been studied in order to investigate the formation of the multi-ferroic oxide YFeO3. The starting material (Y[Fe(CN)6]·4H2O) and the decomposition products were characterized by IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD), and scanning electron microscopy. Metastable YFeO3 with hexagonal structure, space group P63/mmc, was obtained by thermal decomposition of Y[Fe(CN)6]·4H2O at 600 °C in air. Orthorhombic YFeO3 was obtained by the same method at T ≥ 800 °C in air. The crystal structure of orthorhombic YFeO3 was refined by Rietveld analysis using PXRD data. We found that it was slightly deficient in Y3+, which is in agreement with the small amount of Y2O3 found as impurity in the sample. The formula of the orthorhombic phase is Y0.986FeO3.