Synthesis of copper ferrite nanoparticles

Abstract

Pseudospherical copper ferrite particles 20 to 90 nm in average size were prepared by an aerosol method through condensation of iron and copper vapors in an inert-gas flow, followed by the oxidation of the resulting two-phase powder under heterogeneous combustion conditions to an almost single-phase product. The nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, BET measurements, and vibrating-sample magnetometry. Analysis of the X-ray diffraction data and the behavior of the magnetization of reaction intermediates and final synthesis products in the range 400–1100 K made it possible to propose models for the nanostructure of the particles and establish the likely sequence of the observed phase transformations.