Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles: New Preparation Method and Magnetic Properties

In this work, single phase zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) nanoparticles with a mean crystallite size of 12 nm were successfully prepared just by high energy wet milling of metallic Zn and Fe powders and water as the raw materials, without any subsequent heat treatments. Variation of the magnetization with respect to temperature was studied by Faraday balance. Room temperature M-H curve of the as-milled powder has an s-shape, which shows it has ferrimagnetic order. To investigate the effect of annealing on magnetic properties of the as-milled powder, it was annealed at different temperatures from 150 to 800 degrees C and characterized by XRD and magnetometry. The results show that cation distribution of the as-milled nanoparticles is different from that of the bulk zinc ferrite (normal spinel) and by annealing it changes drastically,