Evidence of exchange-coupled behavior in chromium-cobalt ferrite nanoparticles

Cr doped cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized with the generic formula Co1-xCrxFe2O4 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.15, 0.25) through standard chemical co-precipitation method. XRD studies confirmed the pure spinel cubic structure belonging to Fd3¯m space group. From the Williamson-Hall plots, crystallite sizes were found to lie within the range (42 ± 1) nm for the different doped samples. The lattice parameter was found to decrease linearly with increase in the concentration of Cr3+ ion. The magnetic behavior of the samples was determined by M-H studies at 300 K, field cooled (5 T) at 5 K and temperature dependent studies. The M-H at 300 K show soft magnetic behavior whereas the M-H plots at 5 K predict the existence of in-homogeneity of the exchange interactions due to strong exchange coupling between the spins at the core and the surface of the nanoparticles.