Temperature dependence magnetic properties and exchange bias effect in CuFe2O4 nanoparticles embedded in NiO matrix

• Synthesis of (1−x)NiO/xCuFe2O4 (x=0.5) nanoparticles by co-precipitation route.
• Magnetic characterization with particle size and temperature variation.
• Exchange bias effect: monotonic decrease in exchange field with temperature.
• Temperature dependence of coercivity follows Kneller׳s law.
• Temperature dependence of saturation magnetization follows Bloch׳s law.

The effect of temperature on the magnetic properties of CuFe2O4/NiO nanocomposites of (1−x) NiO/xCuFe2O4 (x=0.5) has been investigated. The (1−x)NiO/xCuFe2O4 (x=0.5) nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation route and their crystallographic structure was confirmed through X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The average crystallite sizes of the nanoparticles as determined from the XRD were found to lie in the range of 20–31 nm. Magnetic characterization including coercivity and magnetization were measured with effect of particle size and temperature. During magnetic measurement it is observed that the hysteresis loop displaces along negative field axis with exchange bias field (HEB) about 75 Oe at 5 K and vanish at 150 K which is irreversible temperature Tirr. The temperature dependence of coercively follows Kneller׳s law while the saturation magnetization followed Bloch׳s law with exponent α=3/2.