Sol–gel auto-combustion synthesis of spinel-type ferrite nanomaterials

Recent developments and trends of sol–gel auto-combustion method for spinel ferrite nanomaterial synthesis are briefly discussed and critically analyzed. The analysis of various parameters of reaction which could be used for better understanding of synthesis process and control of microstructure and property of spinel ferrite nanopowder products was the main objective of this review article. Special attention was paid to variety of particle size and phase purity. For these purposes the correlation between complexant, oxygen balance and combustion process chemical additives, as well as heating mechanism and atmosphere, was established. These results are relevant from standpoints of both application and processing of ferrites.     

Anomalies in electrical and dielectric properties of nanocrystalline Ni–Co spinel ferrite

Nanocrystalline Ni-substituted cobalt ferrite sample is prepared by chemical co-precipitation method. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques are used to obtain structural and morphological characterizations. Nanocrystalline nature is clearly seen in SEM picture. Variation of electrical resistivity as a function of temperature in the range 300–900 K is investigated. ln ρ versus 1/T plot shows four break resulting into five regions in 300–900 K temperature range of measurements. The magnetic transition temperature of the sample is determined from resistivity behavior with temperature. The activation energy in different regions is calculated and discussed. Variation of dielectric constant (?′) with increasing temperature show more than one peak; one at around 773 K and other around 833 K, which is unusual behavior of ferrites. The observed peaks in ?′ variation with temperature show frequency dependence. Electrical and dielectric properties of Ni_0.4Co_0.6Fe₂O₄ sample show unusual behavior in the temperature range 723–833 K. To our knowledge, nobody has discussed anomalous behavior in the temperature range 723–833 K for Ni_0.4Co_0.6Fe₂O₄. The possible mechanism responsible for the unusual electrical and dielectric behavior of the sample is discussed.     

Structural and dielectric behaviors for Mg0.5Co0.5Fe2O4 spinel ferrite synthesized by sol–gel route

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - In this work, the structural and dielectric properties for Mg0.5Co0.5Fe2O4 ferrite (abbreviated as MCFO) prepared by sol–gel process...     

Effect of heat treatment on structural and magnetic properties of Li–Ni ferrite prepared via sol–gel auto-combustion method

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - Nanocrystalline Li0.35Ni0.3Fe2.35O4 ferrites were prepared at different annealing temperatures by sol–gel auto-combustion method. The...     

Magnetic and dielectric properties of Co–Zn ferrite

Nanocrystalline powders of Co substituted Zn ferrite with the chemical formula Co_xZn_1−xFe₂O₄ (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1) were synthesized by sol–gel autocombustion method using tartaric acid as fuel agent. The samples were sintered in static air atmosphere for 7 h at 773 K, 7 h at 973 K and 10 h at 1173 K. The organic phase extinction and the spinel phase formation were monitored by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction patterns analysis confirmed the spinel single phase accomplishment. Crystallite size, average grains size, lattice parameter and cation distribution were estimated. Magnetic behavior of the as-obtained samples by means of M-H hysteresis measurements was studied at room temperature. Permeability and dielectric permittivity at room temperature versus frequency was the subject of a comparative study for the Co_xZn_1−xFe₂O₄ series. In agreement with the proposed cation distribution the sample with Co_0.8Zn_0.2Fe₂O₄ formula exhibits the optimal magnetic and dielectric properties.     

Sol–gel auto-combustion synthesis of PVP/CoFe2O4 nanocomposite and its magnetic characterization

Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)/CoFe₂O₄ nanocomposite has been fabricated by a sol–gel auto-combustion method. Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) was used as a reducing agent as well as a surface capping agent to prevent particle aggregation and stabilize the particles. The average crystallite size estimated from X-ray line profile fitting was found to be 20 ± 7 nm. The high field irreversibility and unsaturated magnetization behaviours indicate the presence of the core–shell structure in the sample. The exchange bias effect observed at 10 K suggests the existence of the magnetically aligned core surrounded by spin-disordered surface layer. The reduced remanent magnetization value of 0.6 at 10 K (higher than the theoretical value of 0.5) shows the PVP/CoFe₂O₄ nanocomposite to have cubic magnetocrystalline anisotropy according to the Stoner–Wohlfarth model.     

Structural,dielectric, magnetic,and optical properties of Ni0.75Zn0.25Fe2O4–BiFeO3 composites

The magnetoelectric composites of spinel ferrite Ni_0.75Zn_0.25Fe₂O₄ (NZF) and BiFeO₃ (BFO) with general formula xNi_0.75Zn_0.25Fe₂O₄ + (1 ? x)BiFeO₃ (x = 0, 0.10, 0.20, and 0.30) have been prepared via hybrid processing route. Subsequently, the effects of addition of NZF on structural, dielectric, magnetic, magnetoelectric, and optical properties of BFO have been investigated, and significant enhancements have been observed in physical observables such as grain size, dielectric constant, magnetization, and polarization in ferroelectric hysteresis loops. The variation of magnetization with temperature indicates the presence of spin glass behavior along with the ferromagnetic component. The magnetoelectric coupling is found with a value of magnetocapacitance to be 4.6 % for 30 mol% addition of NZF. The optical properties of the composites are also studied using UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Photoluminescence spectroscopy, and FTIR spectroscopy.     

Structural,magnetic, and optical properties of Al3+ ion-substituted Ni–Ba–Co ferrite prepared via sol–gel method

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - This work focuses on studying the structural, magnetic, and optical properties of Al3+ ion-substituted Ni–Ba–Co ferrites with...     

IR spectra and dielectric properties of Cu–Ge ferrite

The mixed ferrite Cu_1+xGe_xFe_2−2xO₄; where x = 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25 and 0.3; was prepared from high purity oxides using the standard ceramic technique. The IR spectra were recorded on the range from 200 to 1000 cm⁻¹. The two primary bands corresponding to tetrahedral ν_A and octahedral ν_B were observed around 575 cm⁻¹ and 400 cm⁻¹, respectively. It was found the threshold frequency ν_th for the electronic transition increases with increasing the Ge content. The Debye's temperature θ_D was calculated and it was found dependent on the type of charge carriers. AC conductivity σ_ac with dielectric properties (dielectric constant ?′, dielectric loss ?″ and loss tangent tan δ) as a function of frequency (f = 10² → 10⁶ Hz) at room temperature have been measured. The dispersion of the dielectric properties was discussed in the light of Koop's phenomenological theory.     

Structural and physical properties of Ni–Tb–Fe–O system

A series of soft ferrites in the system Ni_1 ? xTb_xFe₂O₄ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2), was prepared by a standard ceramic technique. The influence of terbium content was investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the samples have a cubic spinel (single phase) structure for 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.08; for x > 0.08 a small peak of orthorhombic phase (TbFeO₃) appears and becomes more conspicuous with increased terbium substitution. The lattice parameter changes in a non-linear way as a function of terbium content which may be attributed to differences in the ionic radii of the cations involved and the solubility limit of terbium ions. A gradual increase in the bulk density was observed with the increase of terbium concentration, from 5.13 g/cm³ to 5.69 g/cm³. FTIR absorption spectra of the Ni–Tb–Fe–O system were investigated in the wave number range 370–1500 cm^? 1. Each spectrum exhibited two main absorption bands, thereby confirming the spinel structure.     

Preparation process,microstructure and dielectric properties of Na0.5La0.5Cu3Ti4O12 ceramics by a sol–gel method

Effect of concentration, water content (molar ratio of the water and titanium) and pH value of the sol, and sintering temperatures and holding time on microstructure and dielectric properties of Na_0.5La_0.5Cu₃Ti₄O₁₂ (NLCTO) ceramics by a sol–gel method were investigated in detail, respectively. It is found that the optimum concentration, the molar ratio of the water and titanium, and pH value of the sol were 1.00 mol/L, 11.0, and 0.3, respectively. The NLCTO ceramics sintered at 1,080 °C for 10 h exhibited more homogeneous microstructure, higher dielectric constant (about 1.1–1.8 × 10⁴) and lower dielectric loss (about 0.051–0.064 at 1–10 kHz). The higher dielectric constant of the NLCTO ceramics might be due to the internal barrier layer capacitor effect. The NLCTO ceramics prepared by the sol–gel method showed two kinds of dielectric relaxation at higher temperature by electric modulus analysis, and two relaxation activation energy values were obtained.     

Studies on the structural,electrical and magnetic properties of LaCrO3, LaCr0.5Cu0.5O3 and LaCr0.5Fe0.5O3 by sol–gel method

The structural, electrical and magnetic properties of LaCr_0.5M_0.5O₃ (M = Cr³⁺, Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺) synthesized by a sol–gel technique were studied. The X-ray diffraction pattern shows the structure to be orthorhombic and the size of the particles is around 100 nm as seen from the TEM images. The effects of Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺ on the electrical properties of LaCrO₃ were studied using impedance spectroscopy at room temperature (RT). The properties of LaCr_0.5Cu_0.5O₃ were studied over a wide range of temperature from RT to 533 K. A maximum conductivity of 1.7 × 10^?3 S cm^?1 was observed for LaCr_0.5Cu_0.5O₃ at a measured temperature of 533 K. The impedance spectra indicate a negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTCR) and also imply the conduction is through bulk of the material. The magnetic studies performed using a SQUID magnetometer interpret the antiferromagnetically ordered LaCrO₃ to behave ferromagnetically on the addition of Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺, and the magnetization was found to be enhanced in the LaCr_0.5Fe_0.5O₃.     

Structural and electrical studies on sol–gel synthesized fine particles of Mg–Ni ferrichromite

This is a novel way of synthesis with a unique combination of the chemical sol–gel and combustion process. The process is simple, inexpensive and less time consuming as compared to other wet chemical methods which resulting a nano-sized, homogeneous, highly reactive powder. The results revealed that the nitrate–citrate gel exhibits self-propagating combustion behaviour. The structural and electrical properties of the compounds were studied. X-ray diffraction measurements confirm the formation of single phase cubic spinel structure. We note a nonlinear relationship between the structure and composition due to Ni, which demonstrates that structural properties are strongly tied to the Ni substitution.     

Effect of Zn doping on structural,magnetic and dielectric properties of LaFeO3 synthesized through sol–gel auto-combustion process

We have studied the structural and dielectric properties of nano-crystalline LaFe_1−xZn_xO₃ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) pervoskite samples synthesized through sol–gel auto-combustion technique. X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy are used to confirm the single phase characteristics. Microstructural features are investigated using scanning electron microscope and compositional analysis is performed through energy dispersive spectroscopy. The average grain sizes, calculated from the Scherrer formula, lie in the range below 30 nm. The hysteresis (M-H) curves display a weak magnetic order and a shift in the hysteresis loops. Dielectric response has been discussed, in the framework of “universal dielectric response” model. The value of dielectric constant (ɛ′) increases drastically on Zn doping. The dielectric loss factor (ɛ″) shows Debye like dipolar relaxation behavior. The observed peaks in loss factor (ɛ″) are attributed to the fact that a strong correlation between the conduction mechanism and the dielectric behavior exists in ferrites.     

One-step synthesis of Co–Ni ferrite/graphene nanocomposites with controllable magnetic and electrical properties

Co_1−xNi_xFe₂O₄/graphene nanocomposites were synthesized through a one-step solvothermal method. The as-synthesized products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, field emission scanning microscopy, transmission electron microscope, and high-resolution transmission electron microscope. The results show that the Co_1−xNi_xFe₂O₄ nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed on graphene sheets. The dependence of structure, magnetic and electrical properties of Co_1−xNi_xFe₂O₄/graphene nanocomposites on the Ni²⁺ concentration and the graphene content were also studied. The saturation magnetization and electrical conductivity of the as-prepared products reached 51.82 emu/g and 1.00 × 10² S/m, respectively.     

Structural and magnetic properties of Ce3+doped Mg-Co ferrite prepared by sol–gel method

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - Ce3+-doped Mg-Co ferrite powder can be prepared by sol–gel spontaneous combustion method. The chemical formula for...     

Structural, electrical and magnetic properties of copper substituted Zn–Mn ferrites

Optimum composition (x = 0.0–0.75) of copper substituted Zn_0.25Mn_0.75?xCu_xFe₂O₄ ferrites system have been synthesized by simple chemical co-precipitation method. X-ray diffraction pattern of all samples shows characteristic features of nanocrystalline cubic spinel structure of ferrites. The average grain size of the samples was measured using scanning electron micrographs. The saturation magnetization, coercivity and remanance were studied as a function of copper content in the host ferrite materials. Electrical resistivity of the samples was measured by two probe method. The semiconducting nature of the samples was noted from variation of electrical resistivity with temperature. The effect of copper substitution in ferrites was studied through the measurements of structural, electrical and magnetic properties.     

Structural,spectral, dielectric,and magnetic properties of indium substituted Cu0.5Zn0.5Fe2−xO4 magnetic oxides

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - The influence of indium on the properties of Cu0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano ferrites synthesized by sol–gel auto-combustion technique was...