Enhanced Magnetic Properties of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Cobalt Nanopowder Derived from Sunur-Pariaman Beach Sand

Abstract

Cobalt encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles based on Sunur-Pariaman beach sand were prepared using ball milling method. Cobalt nanoparticles with concentration of 0, 5,10 and 15 wt.% were added to the iron oxide nanoparticles. Un-encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles revealed as pure cubic structure of magnetite phase well matched to JCPDS No. 03-0863 with crystallite size in the range of 30.86 -34.91 nm confirmed by X-Ray diffractometer (XRD). Saturation, remanance magnetization and coercivity increase with an increase of cobalt concentration for Co-encapsulated iron oxide nanopartcles showed good magnetic properties. These findings display excellence performance of cobalt encapsulated iron oxide nanparticles compared to un-encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles and has been considered to be a potential candidate to be used as catalyst for degradation of methylene blue. The concentration of iron (Fe) and titanium (Ti) increase after being milled 100h. However, non iron oxide nanoparticles decrease.