Facile synthesis and characterization of Mn3O4 nanoparticles by auto-combustion method

Mn3O4 nanoparticles of different sizes were synthesized at low-temperature by a facile and simple autocombustion method. Homogeneous potato-shaped grains with an average diameter of about 30, 60 and 90 nm were obtained. The ignition temperature has a significant influence on the particle size of the product. Magnetization of the Mn3O4 nanoparticles shows a ferrimagnetic behavior at low temperature. The coercivity is approximately four times larger than that of bulk Mn3O4 due likely to the particle size effect, which may also be responsible for the observed complex hysteresis that exhibits at least two different magnetic behaviors. This work offers an environmental friendly and industrially robust route towards tailored, uniform and high-quality Mn3O4 nanoparticles. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.