Ferrimagnetic ordering in nanostructured CdFe2O4 spinel

Nanostructured CdFe2O4 spinel powders with various grain sizes ranging from 60 to 4 nm were synthesized by ball milling the bulk material. The magnetization measurements at 1 and 9 T reveal a spin-glass-like surface structure and the material is found to have a large anisotropy. Mossbauer studies at 10 K in external magnetic fields of 6 and 8.5 T applied parallel to the direction of gamma rays could clearly show that CdFe2O4 behaves like a mixed spinel on reducing the grain size to nanometer level and exhibits ferrimagnetic ordering. Fe3+ spins at both A and B sites exhibit spin canting. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.