A simple route to synthesize new binary cobalt iron cyclotetraphosphate CoFeP 4O 12 using aqueous and acetone media

Abstract

A new binary cobalt iron cyclotetraphosphate, CoFeP 4O 12 was synthesized through solid phase reaction using cobalt carbonate, iron metal and phosphoric acid in the presence of water–acetone media with further calcinations at the temperature of 500 °C. The particle size obtained from X-ray line broadening is 65 ± 24 nm for the CoFeP 4O 12. FTIR spectrum of CoFeP 4O 12 is assigned based on the P 4O 12 4− ion in the structure. The SEM micrograph of the synthesized CoFeP 4O 12 shows non-uniform microparticle, which is important for specific application. Room temperature magnetization result shows superparamagnetic behavior of the CoFeP 4O 12 powder, having no hysteresis loop in the range of ±10,000 Oe with the specific magnetization value of 14.243 emu/g. The XRD and FTIR results of the synthesized CoFeP 4O 12 appear to be very similar to that of M 2P 4O 12 (M = Co and Fe), which indicates the monoclinic phase with space group C2/ c.