Title: The effect of annealing on the structure and magnetic properties of ZnCrFeO₄

Authors: Ahmed M. Al-Saie

Addresses: Nanotechnology Centre, University of Bahrain, P.O. Box 32038, Kingdom of Bahrain; Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Bahrain, P.O. Box 32038, Kingdom of Bahrain

Abstract: Nanosized spinel phase of the composition ZnCrFeO₄ has been successfully synthesised by a simple combination of milling of ZnO-Cr₂O₃-Fe₂O₃ mixture oxides and subsequent annealing at 600°C, 750°C, and 900°C respectively. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the spinel phase appears already during milling with some residue of the starting oxides. With further annealing, the spinel phase amount within the mixture powder increases while the amount of the remaining oxides reduces and then disappeared. Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurements show that the magnetic properties vary accordingly and hence confirming the phase composition changes occurring within the powder mixture. At 900°C, a single nanosized ZnCrFeO₄ was obtained with an average crystallites size of 85 nm and a saturation magnetisation of 3.45 emu/g.

Keywords: nanoparticles; spinel structure; mechanical milling; annealing; magnetic properties; ZnCrFeO4; nanotechnology; high purity oxides.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2012.044491

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2012 Vol.5 No.1, pp.1 - 6

Received: 03 May 2010
Accepted: 13 May 2010
Published online: 20 Aug 2014 *

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