Reitveld Refinement and Derivative Spectroscopy of Nanoparticles of Soft Ferrites (MgNiFe)

Abstract

MgNi ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized using an aqueous sol-gel method for targeted drug delivery and other electronic applications. The nitrates of Mg, Ni and iron were used as precursors and citric acid as fuel in a water based synthesis. The nanoparticles so prepared were characterized using X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM); transmission electron microscope (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), FTIR spectroscopy and their respective derivatives. The results of XRD patterns are indicative of formation of ferrite nanoparticles and crystallite sizes were obtained using Williamson-Hall plot. Reitveld refinement was applied to assure about the crystal structure and allied parameters. The magnetic analysis of the prepared samples have been performed by VSM and found that the synthesized nanoparticles exhibited nearly superparamagnetic behaviour having high magnetic saturation (Ms) and negligible coercivity (HC). The FTIR plots confirm the formation of spinel structure of the MgNi ferrites. The formation of spinel ferrite structure is confirmed by absorption bands corresponds to vibration of tetrahedral (A) site and by absorption bands corresponds to the octahedral (B) site. Reitveld refinement and derivative spectroscopic analysis give detailed analysis from XRD, VSM and FTIR studies and helps to conclude detailed and important findings.