Synthesis and characterisation of pure single-phase CoFe2O4 nanopowder via a simple aqueous solution-based EDTA-precursor route

Abstract

Single-phase cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanopowder, with average particle size ∼20 nm, has been synthesised using an ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid precursor-based method. CoFe2O4 nanopowder was obtained by calcining precursor at 550°C for 4 h in air. The change of microstructure of the synthesised CoFe2O4 with increasing sintering temperature was studied using scanning electron microscopy. DC electrical resistivities of unsintered and sintered samples were measured using a two-probe method. Room temperature magnetic hysteresis measurement revealed that the synthesised CoFe2O4 nanopowder exhibited ferromagnetic behaviour at room temperature with saturation magnetisation of 67.55 emu/g and coercivity of 1645.24 Oe.