Synthesis and Characterization of Cobalt Ferrite Nanoparticles

Abstract

Cobalt Ferrite nanoparticles are synthesized by using co-precipitation method. Effect of reaction pH, reaction time and reaction temperature on the structure and magnetic properties measurement of Cobalt ferrite has been studied in this thesis. As synthesized nanoparticles characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The average crystallite size of Cobalt Ferrite nanoparticles determined from XRD analysis is found in the range of 8 to 14 nm. Each nanoparticles possesses inverse spinel structure. The saturation magnetization (Ms), Coercivity (Hc) and remanance (Mr) of nanoparticles are also determined. Saturation magnetization is of the order 15 to 35 emu/g, Coercivity is 235 to 642 Oe and remanence is 2 to 9 emu/g, which are much lower as compared to their bulk counter parts showing the effects induced by quantum confinement of electrons. An estimation of Curie point has also been done by DSC measurement which ranges from 307 to 350 °C. The physical size is 11.49 nm determined from TEM. Cobalt Ferrite nanoparticles have inverse spinel structure.