Structural characterization and magnetic properties of superparamagnetic zinc ferrite nanoparticles synthesized by the coprecipitation method

Single phase zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) nanoparticles have been prepared by the coprecipitation method without any subsequent calcination. The effects of precipitation temperature in the range 20-80 degrees C on the structural and the magnetic properties of zinc ferrite nanoparticles were investigated. The crystallite size, microstructure and magnetic properties of the prepared nanoparticles were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transmission infrared spectrum, transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer and vibrating sample magnetometer. The XRD results showed that the coprecipitated nanoparticles were single phase zinc ferrite with mixture of normal and inverse spinel structures. Furthermore, ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles have the crystallite size in the range 5-10 nm, as confirmed by TEM. The magnetic measurements exhibited that the zinc ferrite nanoparticles synthesized at 40 degrees C were superparamagnetic with the maximum magnetization of 7.3 emu/g at 10 kOe. (C) 2012 Elsevier BY. All rights reserved.