Magnetic properties of NiMn2O4-δ (nickel manganite): Multiple magnetic phase transitions and exchange bias effect

We present magnetic properties of NiMn2O4-delta (nickel manganite) which was synthesized by complex polymerization synthesis method followed by successive heat treatment and final calcinations in air at 1200 degrees C. The sample was characterized by using X-ray powder diffractometer (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. The XRPD and FE-SEM studies revealed NiMn2O4-delta phase and good crystallinity of particles. No other impurities have been observed by XRPD. The magnetic properties of the sample have been studied by measuring the temperature and field dependence of magnetization. Magnetic measurements of M(T) reveal rather complex magnetic properties and multiple magnetic phase transitions. We show three magnetic phase transitions with transition temperatures at T-M1 = 35 K (long-range antiferromagnetic transition), T-M2 = 101 K (antiferromagnetic-type transition) and T-M3 = 120 K (ferromagnetic-like transition). We found that the T-M1 transition is strongly dependent on the strength of the applied magnetic field (T-M1 decreases with increasing applied field) whereas the T-M3 is field independent. Otherwise, the T-M2 maximum almost disappears in higher applied magnetic fields (H = 1 kOe and 10 kOe). Magnetic measurements of M(H) show hysteretic behavior below T-M3. Moreover, hysteresis properties measured after cooling of the sample in magnetic field of 10 kOe show exchange bias effect with an exchange bias field vertical bar H-EB vertical bar= 196 Oe. In summary, the properties that distinguish the investigated NiMn2O4-delta sample from other bulk, thin film, ceramic and nanoparticle NiMn2O4-delta systems are the triple magnetic transitions with sharp increase of the ZFC and FC magnetizations at 120 K and the exchange bias effect. The analysis of the results and comparison with literature data allowed us to conjecture that the mixed oxidation states of Mn ions, ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic sublattice orders and surface effects in the sample tailor these interesting magnetic properties. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.