Characterization of nanocrystalline CuxFe1−xFe2O4 ferrite powders synthesized via plasma arc discharge process

Abstract

In this work, CuxFe1-xFe2O4 (x = 0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1) powders were synthesized via plasma arc discharge process. The structure and morphology were investigated using X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscope techniques, respectively, which confirm that a nanostructured spinel-type oxide is achieved in all cases. The magnetic properties, including saturation magnetization (Ms), coercivity (Hc), remanence ratio(Mr/Ms), and effective anisotropy constant (Keff), were derived from magnetic hysteresis loops at room temperature using a vibrating sample magnetometer. The results indicate that the best combination of Ms (≈105 emu/g), Hc (≈30 Oe), Mr/Ms (≈0.034), and Keff (≈1.6 × 103 erg/g) is obtained near the middle composition range of CuxFe1−xFe2O4 (i.e., at x = 0.3 and 0.5). In addition, CuFe2O4 ferrite manifests a noticeable saturation magnetization of 88.35 emu/g compared with that reported for the same compound in the literature, which can be ascribed to the presence of Cu2+ ions in the tetrahedral sites of the spinel lattice.