Rod-like ferrites obtained through thermal degradation of a molecular ferrimagnet

This paper presents the characteristics of iron oxides obtained through thermal degradation of a molecular ferrimagnet, {N(n-C4H9)4[FeIIFeIII(C2O4)3]}∞ and sheds light on the reaction pathways of degradation. The powder XRD pattern and the IR spectra of the degraded material reveal the formation of hematite. The SEM study exhibits that the degraded material consists of rod-like crystals of average length and diameter being 350 and 140 nm, respectively. But the mean crystallite size as estimated from the XRD pattern analysis is 169(2) nm. The magnetization study of the degraded material by SQUID shows the presence of Morin and Verwey transitions. Formation of ferrites through thermal degradation of the molecular magnetic precursor is further established by thermogravimetric study of the precursor. This is the first ever report of synthesis of nano-ferrites from a molecular magnet precursor, which underlines a new route for synthesis of ferrites.