Effects of annealing temperature variation on the evolution of structural and magnetic properties of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles synthesized by starch-assisted sol-gel auto-combustion method

Evolution of the structural and magnetic properties of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles synthesized by starch-assisted sol-gel auto-combustion method, and exposed to further annealing at 200 °C, 400 °C, 600 °C, 800 °C and 1000 °C, was evaluated in detail and correlation of these properties explored. The ferrite nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer. The X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrated single phase formation of NiFe2O4 spinel ferrite nanoparticles at different annealing temperature 200 °C, 400 °C, 600 °C, 800 °C and 1000 °C. The change in crystallite size with increase of annealing temperature is observed. The FE-SEM analysis also indicated an increase of particle size with increase of higher annealing temperature. The change in Raman modes and infrared absorption bands were noticed with change of particle size. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the presence of Ni2+ and Fe3+ at octahedral and tetrahedral sites in NiFe2O4 nanoparticles. The representative sample NiFe2O4 nanoparticles annealed at 400 °C, have mixed cation distribution (Ni0.23+2Fe0.52+3)[ Ni0.77+2Fe1.48+3]O4. The highest value of coercivity 62.35 Oe and saturation magnetization 34.10 erg/g were obtained at annealing temperature 600 °C and 1000 °C, respectively.