Size Effects on the Magnetic Properties of ZnFe2O4 Nanoparticles

• Published in: Journal of superconductivity and novel magnetism Vol. 26; no. 6; pp. 2329 - 2331
• Main Authors: Mendonça, E. C., Jesus, C. B. R., Folly, W. S. D., Meneses, C. T., Duque, J. G. S.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01-06-2013; Springer
• Subjects: Cationic; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Coprecipitation; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Decay; Domain effects, magnetization curves, and hysteresis; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic Materials; Magnetic properties; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetism; Magnetization; Magnetization curves, magnetization reversal, hysteresis, barkhausen and related effects; Materials science; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoparticles; Nanopowders; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Original Paper; Particle size; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Strongly Correlated Systems; Superconductivity; Nanoparticles; Antiferromagnetism; Coercive field; Rietveld method; Particle size; Magnetization; Magnetic measurement; Relaxation; Ferrites spinels; Iron Zinc Oxides Mixed; Size effect; Coercive force; Neel temperature; Coprecipitation; Magnetic properties
• ISSN: 1557-1939; 1557-1947
• DOI: 10.1007/s10948-012-1426-3

We report structural and magnetic measurements on ZnFe
2
O
4
nanoparticles obtained through coprecipitation chemical method. The Rietveld analysis of X-ray patterns reveals that (i) our samples are single phase, (ii) the average particle size increases with synthesis temperature, and (iii) the cationic disorder increases with decreasing of the mean particle size. The Zero-Field-Cooled (ZFC) and Field-Cooled (FC) magnetization measurements show that the blocking temperature increases with increasing of the particle size and, to the sample grown at
T
=850 °C, it is possible to observe both Néel temperature to larger particles and blocking effects to smaller particles. Finally, we have observed that the coercive field does not decay with the square root of temperature following the Néel relaxation and Bean–Livingston approaches.