A review of synthesis, characterization, and magnetic properties of soft spinel ferrites

This article has focused on the structural characteristics, magnetic behavior, synthesis procedures, and appli-cations of the most important soft spinel ferrites. Magnetic ceramics tend to be named ferrites owing to the Latin route ferrum and are divided into hard (hexaferrites) and soft (spinels and garnets). Among soft ferrites, spinels have received special attention during the last decades. Spinels with a chemical formula of AB2O4 crystallize in the cubic (isometric) crystal system and are thermally and chemically stable oxides appropriate for a wide range of purposes. These applications tend to be be named microelectronic ones, magnetic memories, ferrofluids gas sensing, water purification, absorber coatings, catalysis, biomedicine, antibacterial activities, and contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging. For this reason, this paper attempts to give an overview of the magnetic properties, structural behavior, applications, and synthetic methods of spinels.

Automated summary

This article focuses on the most important soft spinel ferrites, discussing their structural characteristics, magnetic behavior, synthesis procedures, and applications. Soft ferrites, named after the Latin word "ferrum," are divided into hexaferrites (hard ferrites) and spinels and garnets (soft ferrites). Spinels, with a chemical formula of AB2O4, crystallize in the cubic isometric crystal system and are thermally and chemically stable oxides suitable for a wide range of purposes. These applications include microelectronics, magnetic memories, ferrofluids, gas sensing, water purification, absorber coatings, catalysis, biomedicine, antibacterial activities, and contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging. Therefore, this paper provides an overview of spinels' magnetic properties, structural behavior, applications, and synthetic methods.