Comparative investigation of CuFe2O4 nano and microstructures for structural, morphological, optical and magnetic properties

CuFe2O4 nanocrystals were synthesized by the sol gel method (SGM) and microwave method (MM) by using sucrose as a fuel. The structural, morphological, optical and magnetic properties of the products were determined and characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The XRD results confirmed the formation of cubic phase CuFe2O4. The formation of CuFe2O4 nano and microstructures were confirmed by HR-SEM. Photoluminescence emissions were determined by PL spectra, respectively. The relatively high saturation magnetization (78.22 emu/g) of CuFe2O4-MM shows that it is ferromagnetic and low saturation magnetization (35.98 emu/g) of CuFe2O4-SGM confirms the super paramagnetic behavior. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.