Magnetic properties of Co1−xZnxFe2O4 spinel ferrite nanoparticles synthesized by starch-assisted sol–gel autocombustion method and its ball milling

•Co1−xZnxFe2O4 spinel ferrite nanoparticles.•Starch-assisted sol–gel auto-combustion method.•Effect of ball-milling on particle size and cation distribution.•Magnetic property dependent on cations and particle size.

In this article, Co1−xZnxFe2O4 (x=0.0 and 0.5) spinel ferrite nanoparticles were achieved at 800 °C by starch-assisted sol–gel autocombustion method. To further reduce the particle size, these synthesized ferrite nanoparticles were ball-milled for 2 h. X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrated single phase formation of Co1−xZnxFe2O4 (x=0.0 and 0.5) spinel ferrite nanoparticles. FE-SEM analysis indicated the nanosized spherical particles formation with spherical morphology. The change in Raman modes and relative intensity were observed due to ball milling and consequently decrease of particle size and cationic redistribution. An X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) result indicated that Co2+, Zn2+ and Fe3+ exist in octahedral and tetrahedral sites. The cationic redistribution of Zn2+ and consequently Fe3+ occurred between octahedral and tetrahedral sites after ball-milling. The change in saturation magnetization (Ms) and coercivity (Hc) with decrease of nanocrystalline size and distribution of cations in spinel ferrite were observed.