The use of X-ray diffraction peak profile analysis to determine the structural parameters of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles using Debye-Scherrer, Williamson-Hall, Halder-Wagner and Size-strain plot: Different precipitating agent approach

Abstract

Cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles have been developed by co-precipitation technique using four distinct precipitating agents, e.g., mixture of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), potassium hydroxide (KOH). The prepared systems had been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Nanoparticle analyzer and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). X-ray peak profile analysis (XPPA) had been used to estimate the physical parameters such as crystallite size and lattice strain by Debye-Scherrer (D-S) method, Williamson-Hall (W-H) plot, Halder-Wagner (H-W) technique and Size-Strain plot (SSP) technique. Different precipitating agents influence strongly the structure, size distribution, morphology and stability of the nanoparticles and on the basis of these parameters an optimum sample had been selected. The crystallite size calculated from XRD and particle size calculated from SEM shows a narrow size distribution with averages between 26.6–50.4 nm and 54–98 nm respectively, for all the samples. The particle size obtained from TEM shows high compatibility with XRD results with averages between 20 and 50 nm. The average lattice strain, dislocation density, lattice constant, cell volume, zeta potential was between 0.00094 and 0.0015, (4.34–14.13) × 1014 (lines/m2), 8.36870–8.38558 Å, 586.10–589.65 Å3, −87.8–27.7 mV respectively. The results estimated from the D-S method, W-H plot, H-W plot, SSP technique, SEM, Nanoparticle Analyzer and TEM regarding the structural and morphological parameters of the CoFe2O4 nanoparticles had been highly intercorrelated. Among the XPPA methods, SSP method is the most compatible one since the data points more accurately fits in this method with average correlation coefficient value (R2) of 0.99 that has been reinforced from TEM results as well. The synthesized CoFe2O4 nanoparticles can be applicable as liquid black coloring agent on ceramic surface after mixing with suitable solvent.