Polynuclear coordination compounds as precursors for CuFe2O4

The possibility of obtaining copper ferrite through the thermal decomposition of the two polynuclear coordination compounds: (NH4)(8) [Fe2Cu(C2O4)(8)](I) and [Fe2Cu(C2O4)(2) (OH)(4)].4H(2)O (II) was considered. The polynuclear compounds were characterized by various physical chemical techniques, e. g., IR, UV-VIS, EPR, Mossbauer spectra, thermal analysis and magnetic measurements. The final products obtained after thermal decomposition of the complex compounds were analysed by X-ray diffraction. A mixture of tetragonal CuFe2O4, alpha-Fe2O3 and CuO is generated from the thermolysis of compound I, while a clean tetragonal CuFe2O4 with saturation magnetization of 26.89 emu g(-1) is obtained from compound II.