Crystallographic and micro-structural investigations in C-phase spinels of CuFe2O4 synthesized through C12H22O11.H2O mediation

Abstract

Nanocrystalline CuFe2O4 was synthesized through stotiometric mixing of aqueous solutions of Cu(NO3)2. 3H2O and Fe(NO3)3. 9H2O mediated by α-Lactose monohydrate (C12H22O11.H2O) as reductant. Aqueous NaOH solution was used as the catalyst and the reaction was carried out at room temperature. The ageing of crystallites in cubic spinel structure was accomplished by annealing the powder sample at 600 °C for 4 h. The crystallographic structure, size, strain, density, lattice parameters, inversion parameter, cation distribution, mechanism of formation, the phase homogeneity and hydrophilic behavior of the sample were studied through methods such as X-ray diffraction pattern analysis techniques, rietveld profile refinement of XRD pattern and FTIR measurements. FESEM images provided an insight into the micro-structural orientations in the formation of the sample. The semiconducting behavior and the direct band gap of 3.21 eV were estimated from Tauc’ plot employing Kubelka-Munk function for the reflectance data recorded through UV–vis spectroscopy. Further, based on the value of inversion parameter, the magnetization of the sample is predicted to be low and assumed to be in superparamagnetic regime at room temperature.