EFFECT OF PARTICLE SIZE ON MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF Ni0.6-xCuxZnFe2O4 SPINEL FERRITE NANOPARTICLES

Abstract

Abstract

Spinel ferrite with the composition of Ni0.6-xCuxZn0.4Fe2O4 (x= 0 – 0.5 with a step of 0.1) was prepared by a sol-gel and sol-gel auto-combustion method. X-ray powder diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer were used to analyze the structural and magnetic properties of nanoparticles. The use of citric acid in the combustion process could greatly affect the size of nanoparticles. It was found that the amount of copper in Ni0.6-xCuxZn0.4Fe2O4 ferrite affects particle size. The synthesized nanoparticles by combustion exhibit superparamagnetism behavior. With an increase in Cu²⁺ content, magnetization and the blocking temperature increase. The phenomenological Néel – Brown and Vogel – Fulcher models were employed to distinguish between the interacting and non-interacting system. The parameters obtained for the Vogel – Fulcher equation indicate that there is a strong interaction between nanoparticles.

Abstract

Spinel ferrite with the composition of Ni0.6-xCuxZn0.4Fe2O4 (x= 0 – 0.5 with a step of 0.1) was prepared by a sol-gel and sol-gel auto-combustion method. X-ray powder diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer were used to analyze the structural and magnetic properties of nanoparticles. The use of citric acid in the combustion process could greatly affect the size of nanoparticles. It was found that the amount of copper in Ni0.6-xCuxZn0.4Fe2O4 ferrite affects particle size. The synthesized nanoparticles by combustion exhibit superparamagnetism behavior. With an increase in Cu²⁺ content, magnetization and the blocking temperature increase. The phenomenological Néel – Brown and Vogel – Fulcher models were employed to distinguish between the interacting and non-interacting system. The parameters obtained for the Vogel – Fulcher equation indicate that there is a strong interaction between nanoparticles.