A comparison study of polymer/cobalt ferrite nano-composites synthesized by mechanical alloying route

Abstract

In this research, the effect of different biopolymers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinylalcohol (PVA) on synthesis and characterization of polymer/cobalt ferrite (CF) nano-composites bymechanical alloying method has been systematically investigated. The structural, morphological andmagnetic properties changes during mechanical milling were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), fieldemission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and vibrating sample magnetometer techniques(VSM), respectively. The polymeric cobalt ferrite nano-composites were obtained by employing atwo-step procedure: the cobalt ferrite of 20 nm mean particle size was first synthesized by mechanicalalloying route and then was embedded in PEG or PVA biopolymer matrix by milling process. Theresults revealed that PEG melted due to the local temperature raise during milling. Despite thisphenomenon, cobalt ferrite nano-particles were entirely embedded in PEG matrix. It seems, PAV is anappropriate candidate for producing nano-composite samples due to its high melting point. InPVA/CF nano-composites, the mean crystallite size and milling induced strain decreased to 13 nm and0.48, respectively. Moreover, milling process resulted in well distribution of CF in PVA matrix eventhough the mean particle size of cobalt ferrite has not been significantly affecetd. FTIR resultconfirmed the attachment of PVA to the surface of nano-particles. Magnetic properties evaluationshowed that saturation magnetization and coercivity values decreased in nano-composite samplecomparing the pure cobalt ferrite.