The mechanism of the low-temperature formation of barium hexaferrite

We have investigated the formation of barium hexaferrite via the coprecipitation method. Fine precursor powders were obtained with coprecipitation from water and ethanol solutions of various reagent salts. The coprecipitates were calcined at 300-800 degrees C for 0-50 h. The samples were characterized with X-ray powder diffraction, thermal analysis, electron microscopy and magnetometry. The formation of barium hexaferrite was a combination of two competing mechanisms and was not influenced by the reagent salts or the solvent. The formation temperature of the barium hexaferrite was reduced to 500 degrees C by optimizing the coprecipitation conditions. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.