Synthesis and characterization of nano-sized cobalt ferrite prepared via polyol method using conventional and microwave heating techniques

Nano-sized single-phase cobalt ferrite samples were prepared via polyol method using ethylene glycol as a high boiling point solvent as well as a reducing agent. These samples were prepared by two different heating techniques; conventional heating technique and microwave assisting technique using a 2.45 GHz multimode microwave synthesis unit. The crystallite size of the obtained samples was found to be in the range from 10 nm to 12 nm. The obtained samples were characterized using transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Quantum design SQUID magnetometer was used to study the magnetic measurement.