Preparation and magnetic properties of BaFe12O19/Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 nanocomposite ferrite

Nanocomposite of hard (BaFe12O19)/soft ferrite (Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4) have been prepared by the sol-gel process. The nanocomposite ferrite are formed when the calcining temperature is above 800 degrees C. It is found that the magnetic properties strongly depend on the presintering treatment and calcining temperature. The bee waist type hysteresis loops for samples disappear when the presintering temperature is 400 degrees C and the calcination temperature reaches 1100 degrees C owing to the exchange-coupling interaction. The remanence of BaFe12O19/Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 nanocomposite ferrite with the mass ratio of 5:1 is higher than a single phase ferrite. The specific saturation magnetization, remanence magnetization and coercivity are 63 emu/g, 36 emu/g and 2750 G, respectively. The exchange-coupling interaction in the BaFe12O19/Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 nanocomposite ferrite is discussed. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.