X-ray analysis of Nickel-Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles by using Debye-Scherrer, Williamson-Hall and Ssp methods

Abstract

It is well known that in recent years magnetic materials have received increased attention due to their properties. Complex oxide systems based on nickel, magnesium, iron or cobalt have been thoroughly studied in order to obtain new materials for the ceramics production. Among these oxides phases with spinel structure are the most promising. Nickel-cobalt ferrites are different from many other materials because they have important electrical, magnetic and mechanical properties. These ferrites are promising in SHF-technology, and they are used as a magnetic component in composite magnetoelectric materials. During the synthesis of ferromagnetic oxide nanomaterials special attention is paid to chemical methods of ferrite components homogenization. This provides the high chemical homogeneity and activity of ferrite powders. The aim of this work is to create and study of nanoparticles of the NixCo1-xFe2O4 systems using sol-gel technology with the participation of auto-combustion (SGA). This method is perspective in that it is a cheap and lowtemperature technique that allows for the fine control on the product's chemical composition. After completing the auto-combustion process, only one phase which corresponds to the cubic structure of the spinel space group Fd3m was obtained. The dependences of the lattice parameter and X-ray density of ferrite powders on the nickel content were found. It was shown that at substitution of cobalt cations by nickel cations the latter occupy only B positions, thus displacing a part of Fe3+ into A positions. The obtained ferrite powders were investigated by means methods of X-ray analysis. The dimensions of crystallites and micro-deformations of the crystal lattice were calculated from an increase of the X-ray profile width at the half of its height using the Debye-Scherrer, Williamson-Hall and SSP techniques.