Synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline CoFe2O4-zirconia via propylene oxide aided sol-gel method

Abstract

In this study, a Co ferrite/ZrO2 ceramic nanomixture, with a uniform distribution of Co ferrite and ZrO2, was synthesized by the propylene-oxide-assisted sol–gel method. Cobalt, iron, and zirconium nitrate salts were used as the metal precursors, and ethanol and propylene oxide were used as the solvent and gelation agent, respectively. The prepared gels were aged, dried, and annealed at different temperatures (600–1000 °C) and times (1–5 h). The annealed Co ferrite/ZrO2 powder was analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis, energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The PXRD and EDS results indicated that the phase and chemical composition of the Co ferrite/ZrO2 ceramic nanomixture synthesized by the sol–gel method is not affected by the annealing temperature and time. The crystallite size of the Co ferrite/ZrO2 ceramic nanomixture increased with the increase in the annealing temperature and time. In contrast, the specific surface area and pore volume decreased with the increase in the annealing temperature and time. SEM/EDS and TEM analysis confirmed the nanoparticulate morphology of the Co ferrite/ZrO2 ceramic nanomixture, with a uniform distribution of Co ferrite and ZrO2.