Synthesis and characterization of CoFe2O4 magnetic particles prepared by co-precipitation method : Effect of mixture procedures of initial solution

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds 2008-02, Vol.450 (1-2), p.532-539
• Main Authors: Wang, Jing, Deng, Tong, Lin, Yulong, Yang, Caiqin, Zhan, Wenhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetic resonances and relaxations in condensed matter, mössbauer effect; Materials science; Materials synthesis; materials processing; Mössbauer effect; other γ-ray spectroscopy; Physics; Small particles and nanoscale materials; Studies of specific magnetic materials
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2007.02.099

CoFe2O4 magnetic particles were prepared by co-precipitation method in 60 deg C homogeneous aqueous solution without any subsequent heat treatment. It was found that the mixing procedure and Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio of initial solution were critical in the preparation of CoFe2O4 particles in particle size, magnetization characters, uniformity in particle size and even cation distribution in spinel structure. Two different procedures were used to precipitate CoFe2O4 magnetic particles. Evidenced by XRD, Mossbauer analyses and magnetization determination, particles in comparative uniformity average size were obtained in procedure A, denoted as normal pH regulation procedure, in which NaOH solution was dropped into the mixture solution of iron ions, and with the decreasing in Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio of initial solution, the particle size decreased, which followed the same rule of diversification in saturation magnetization. Uniformity in particle size lowered when procedure B, referred to as reverse pH regulation procedure, where ferrous and cobalt ions were dropped into alkaline solution, was used to precipitate CoFe2O4. In both procedures, with the decreasing in Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio of initial solution, the saturation magnetization decreased, while the magnetic coercivity decreased but increased sharply when Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio of initial solution was 0.