Synthesis and adsorption ability of nanoparticles of perovskite oxynitride LaTiO2N

We synthesized a perovskite-type oxynitride, LaTiO2N, by nitridation of the oxide precursor under NH3 atmosphere at low temperature and flow rate. We successfully synthesized LaTiO2N at 1023 K (750°C) under flowing NH3 gas at a rate of 18 dm3/h using a handmade rotary furnace form the amorphous oxide precursor prepared by a sol-gel technique-polymerizable complex method. The average particle size of the LaTiO2N sample prepared at 1023 K (750°C) (LTON-750) was smaller than for the LaTiO2N sample prepared by a conventional solid-state reaction method at 1223 K (950°C) (LTON-SS). The smallest particle size of LTON-750 was estimated at 20-30 nm. The BET surface area of LTON-750, calculated from the N2 adsorption isotherm, was 35.0 m2/g. This is approximately 2 times greater than that of LTON-SS. Furthermore, LTON-750 and LTON-SS demonstrated the ability to adsorb H2 at 77 K.