Nanostructured spinel ferrites: A comprehensive study on the synthesis, characterization, and magnetic properties of Zn and Mn substituted magnetite nanoparticles produced through the co-precipitation method
Mahmoud E. M. Ahmed, Yuhan Zheng, Gang Wang, Guang Chen
Abstract
Seven cubic spinel ferrite nanoparticles were successfully synthesized through the co-precipitation method. These nanoparticles include Fe 3 O 4 , Zn 0.4 Fe 0.6 2 + Fe 2 3 + O 4 , Mn 0.4 Fe 0.6 2 + Fe 2 3 + O 4 , Zn 0.6 Mn 0.4 Fe 0.4 2 + Fe 1.6 3 + O 4 , Zn 0.4 Mn 0.6 Fe 0.4 2 + Fe 1.6 3 + O 4 , Zn 0.4 Mn 0.4 Fe 0.2 2 + Fe 2 3 + O 4 , and Zn 0.4 Mn 0.4 Fe 0.4 2 + Fe 1.8 3 + O 4 . The Rietveld method was used to analyze X-ray diffraction data, confirming that all samples have a single-phase cubic spinel structure. The presence of zinc and manganese ions in magnetite lattice leads to changes in lattice parameters and crystallite size, resulting in a range of 7–12 nm crystallite sizes. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis of nanoparticles reveals two significant adsorption peaks at 560-576 cm −1 and 437-449 cm −1 , corresponding to metal ion stretching vibrations at tetrahedral and octahedral sites. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed the presence of iron, zinc, and manganese in various oxidation states. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed spherical, agglomerated nanoparticles. The study confirmed the elemental composition and mapping images of prepared samples using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The magnetic properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were meticulously examined utilizing a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) at room temperature. A direct correlation is established between the structural alterations induced by Zn 2+ /Mn 2+ and their subsequent effects on magnetic characteristics, specifically through the reallocation of cations and the mechanisms of electron hopping occurring at the B-sites. The structural modifications result in enhanced superparamagnetic behavior, exhibiting saturation magnetization values between 46.01 and 69.38 emu/g. The sustainable characteristics of these materials render them highly viable options for applications in environmental remediation and green technology. • All nanoparticles were synthesized via the co-precipitation technique. • XRD analysis with Rietveld refinement indicates that the structure is a single-phase cubic spinel structure. • The Substituting of Zn and/or Mn increases the magnetite lattice constant. • FTIR analysis revealed the presence of absorption bands at ν 1 (560- 576 cm −1 ) and ν 2 (437- 449 cm −1 ). • The samples′ saturation magnetization values range from 46.01 to 69.38 emu/g.