A simple synthesis and room temperature magnetic properties of new binary Mn0.5Fe0.5(H2PO4)2•xH2O obtained from a rapid co-precipitation at ambient temperature

A new binary Mn0.5Fe0.5(H2PO4)(2)center dot xH(2)O powder was synthesized by simple and cost-effective method using phosphoric acid, manganese and iron metals as starting chemicals. The synthesized solid shows the complex thermal transformations and the final decomposition product is a new binary manganese iron cyclo-tetraphosphate, MnFeP4O12. The X-ray diffraction and FTIR results indicate that the synthesized new binary Mn0.5Fe0.5(H2PO4)(2)center dot xH(2)O and the decomposition MnFeP4O12 powders are a pure monoclinic phase with space group P2(1)/n (Z=2) and C2/c (Z=4), respectively. The particle morphologies of Mn0.5Fe0.5(H2PO4)(2)center dot xH(2)O and MnFeP4O12 powders appear as the rod-like tetragonal shape and show a high agglomeration of small particles, which are similar to the case of Mn(H2PO4)(2)center dot 2H(2)O and Fe2P4O12, respectively. Room temperature magnetization results show a ferromagnetic behavior of the Mn0.5Fe0.5(H2PO4)(2)center dot xH(2)O and MnFeP4O12 powders, having the hysteresis loops in the range of -10,000 Oe < H < +10,000 Oe with the specific magnetization values of 25.63 and 13.14 emu/g at 10 kOe, respectively. The lower magnetizations of Mn0.5Fe0.5(H2PO4)(2)center dot xH(2)O and MnFeP4O12 than those of Fe(H2PO4)(2)center dot 2H(2)O and Fe2P4O12 powders indicate the presence of Mn ions in substitution position of Fe ions. (c) 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.