Magnetic memory effects in nickel ferrite/polymer nanocomposites

Memory effects are reported in the field cooled (FC) magnetization of pure nickel ferrite powders and nickel ferrite nanocomposites prepared by the solution casting method. Studies carried out at different concentrations of the nanocomposite indicate that memory effects are suppressed with increasing concentration of the magnetic component in the nanocomposite. This is linked to the increase in the dipolar interaction strength in the nanocomposites, which increase with increasing concentration, as confirmed by the Henkel plots. Model simulations of the FC magnetization carried out on an interacting array of monodispersed magnetic nanoparticles indicate that growing cluster sizes inhibit memory effects. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.