Comparison of lithium ferrite powders prepared by sol-gel and solid state reaction methods

Abstract

This work has the main purpose comparing the structural and dielectric properties of lithium ferrite nanoparticles obtained by sol-gel (SG) and solid state reaction (SSR) methods, using the same raw materials, metal nitrates, which are not common, in order to make a reliable comparison. Samples prepared by the SG method, the crystalline phase of lithium ferrite is obtained for lower heat treatment temperatures than for the SSR method. The more suitable samples to be applied to electronic devices to store energy are the one treated at 800 °C, for SG method and the other treated at 1100 °C, for SSR. Lithium ferrite is one of the most known cubic ferrites with very interesting properties with several technological applications. Samples structure was studied by XRD and their morphology by SEM. The dielectric properties were analysed, in the frequency range between 100 Hz and 1 MHz and temperature 200–370 K.