Aqueous solution preparation, structure, and magnetic properties of nano-granular Zn xFe 3-xO 4 ferrite films

Abstract

This paper reports a simple and novel process for preparing nano-granular Zn xFe 3-xO 4 ferrite films (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.99) on Ag-coated glass substrates in DMAB-Fe(NO 3) 3-Zn(NO 3) 2 solutions. The deposition process may be applied in preparing other cations-doped spinel ferrite films. The Zn content x in the Zn xFe 3-xO 4 films depends linearly on the Zn 2+ ion concentration ranging from 0.0 to 1.0 mM in the aqueous solutions. With x increasing from 0 to 0.99, the lattice constant increases from 0.8399 to 0.8464 nm; and the microstructure of the films changes from the non-uniform nano-granules to the fine and uniform nano-granules of 50-60 nm in size. The saturation magnetization of the films first increases from 75 emu/g to the maximum 108 emu/g with x increasing from 0 to 0.33 and then decreases monotonously to 5 emu/g with x increasing from 0.33 to 0.99. Meanwhile, the coercive force decreases monotonously from 116 to 13 Oe. © 2010 The Author(s).