Structural and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline Ni1-xCuxFe2O4 prepared through oxalates precursors

Spinel ferrites of the composition Ni1-xCuxFe2O4 (x = 0.0-1.0) have been prepared through the thermal decomposition of their respective impregnated oxalates. The oxalate decomposition process was followed using differential thermal analysis-thermogravimetry techniques (DTA-TG). The synthesized nanocrystallites were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The formation of single-phase ferrite is confirmed by XRD. Tetragonal deformation is observed for samples with composition x >= 0.7. The increase in the lattice parameter with increasing Cu content can be explained based on the relative ionic radius. The TEM image shows spherically non-agglomerated particles with an average crystallite size that agrees well with that obtained from XRD. FT-IR studies show two absorption bands (v(1) and v (2)) near to 600 and 400 cm(-1) for the tetrahedral and octahedral sites, respectively. The hysteresis measurements were done using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The cation distribution in these compositions is calculated from the magnetization data. With increasing Cu content, the saturation magnetization (M-s) was observed to decrease while the coercivity (H-c) increases. The possible reasons responsible for the composition dependence of the magnetic properties were discussed. The Curie temperature, measured through the temperature dependence of the dc-molar magnetic susceptibility, was found to decrease with increasing Cu content. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.