Fabrication and magnetic property of BaSm(x)Fe(12-x)O19 (x < or = 0.4) nanofibers

BaSm(x)Fe(12-x)O19 (x < or = 0.4) ferrite nanofibers were prepared by sol-gel method from starting reagents of metal salts and citric acid. These nanofibers were characterized by TG-DTA, FTIR, SEM, XRD and VSM. These results show that the BaSm(x)Fe(12-x)O19 (x < or = 0.4) ferrite nanofibers were obtained subsequently from calcination at 750 degrees C for 1 h. The BaSm(x)Fe(12-x)O19 (x < or = 0.4) microstructure and magnetic property are mainly influenced by chemical composition and heat-treatment temperature. The grain sizes of BaSm0.3Fe11.7O19 ferrite nanofibers are in a nanoscale from 40 nm to 62 nm corresponding to the calcination temperature from 750 degrees C to 1050 derees C. The saturation magnetization of BaSm(x)Fe(12-x)O19 ferrite nanofiber calcined at 950 degrees C for 1 h initially decreases with the Sm content from 0 to 0.3 and then increases with a further Sm content, while the coercivity exhibits a continuous increase from 348 kA x m(-1) (x = 0) to 427 kA x m(-1) (x = 0.4). The differences of magnetic properties are attributed to lattice distortion and enhancement for the anisotropy energy.