Mechanism of γ-irradiation induced phase transformations in nanocrystalline Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 ceramics

The nanocrystalline Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 ceramic sample transforms to crystalline α-Fe2O3 and ZnFe2O4 phases (and amorphous MnO phase) at a γ-irradiation dose of 50 kGy, as MnO goes out of the spinel lattice. The high energy γ-irradiation causes structural damage to the nanomaterials leading to change in morphology of the sample as seen in the SEM images.344