The effect of aging time and calcination temperature on the magnetic properties of α-Fe/Fe3O4 composite

Composites of α-Fe/Fe3O4 having dimensions in the range of 100–150 nm have been prepared by disproportion method. The structure and morphology are investigated by XRD and TEM. XRD shows that the metal has got the BCC structure. TEM shows balls of metallic iron about 100-nm-wide stuck to magnetite grains. Magnetic measurement shows that the sample aged for 3 h and calcined at 200 °C has the maximal saturation magnetization corresponding to the highest concentration of α-Fe in the final sample.