Fabrication and characterization of Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanofibers

Zn-doped α-FeOOH nanofibers were fabricated by coprecipitation method using a solution containing FeCl2 and Zn(NO3)2. Then the Zn-doped α-FeOOH nanofibers were enwraped by the complex of citric acid and Ni2+ to form precursor. The Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanofibers were obtained after the calcinations of precursor at different temperatures. The phase, morphology, particle diameter, and the magnetic properties of obtained samples were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The diameters of the obtained Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanofibers are found to range between 10 nm and 20 nm; the length ranges between 1 μm and 1.5 μm. The coercivity and saturation magnetization of the Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanofibers are superior to those of the amorphous Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano-powder for their excellent effective anisotropy. The coercivity and saturation magnetization of the Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanofibers are 130.7 Oe and 62.8 emu/g, respectively. The effect of the morphology on the properties of the Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanofibers obtained by coprecipitation-citric acid method is also preliminarily studied in this work.