Enhanced dielectric and magnetic properties of polystyrene added CoFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles

In this work, a facile chemical synthesis of polystyrene (PS) added cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) magnetic nanoparticles by co-precipitation method is reported and the role of PS concentrations (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 wt%) on the structural, morphological, dielectric and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles is investigated. Formation of single phase cubic inverse spinel structure is confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectral analyses. Transmission electron microscopy studies show that the size of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles can be controlled by varying of PS concentration. Dielectric constant is enhanced due to increase in the PS concentrations in CoFe2O4 nanoparticles. Vibrating sample magnetometer measurements elucidate the enhanced saturation magnetization, coercivity and remanent magnetization in 1, 2 and 3 wt% of PS added CoFe2O4 nanoparticles. Hence the results obtained in this work evidently show that the addition of PS as a surfactant in the synthesis of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles remarkably modify the size of the particles.