Structural and magnetic properties of nano nickel–zinc ferrite synthesized by reverse micelle technique

Nanocrystalline nickel–zinc ferrites (Ni0.58Zn0.42Fe2O4) at different pH values (less than 9.6, 9.6, 10.96, and 11.40) for the alkali-precipitating reaction were synthesized by reverse micelle technique. X-ray diffraction reveals a well-defined nickel–zinc ferrite crystal phase at pH=9.6. Increase in pH value obstructs pure-phase formation and results in partial formation of α-Fe2O3. The magnetic behaviour of the samples was studied by superconducting quantum interference device. All the samples show superparamagnetic behaviour at room temperature (300 K) and negligible hysteresis at low temperature (5 K). The low value of saturation magnetization is explained on the basis of spin canting. The high-field irreversibility and shifting of the hysteresis loop detected in single-phase sample has been assigned to a spin-disordered phase, which has a spin-freezing temperature of approximately 42 K and other two samples have an antiferromagnetic phase (α-Fe2O3) coupled to the ferromagnetic phase.