Mechanical activation conditions of the Fe 2O 3 and V 2O 3 mixture powders in order to obtain a nanometric vanadium spinel ferrite

Abstract

Co-milling of iron and vanadium oxides allows to obtain an intimate oxides mixture at a nanoscale, similar to a coprecipitate elaborated by soft chemistry. Reduction of such a mixture in the same temperature and oxygen partial pressure conditions (500°C and 10 −25 Pa) as the soft chemistry products leads to a nanometric vanadium ferrite with the only spinel phase. The characterization of the powders is achieved by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, infrared (IR) spectrometry, thermogravimetry and calorimetry. Homogeneity of grain size and chemical composition is reached if the initial oxides have similar grain size.