Synthesis of natural superlattice structure in the binary ZnO-Fe 2O3 system by microwave irradiation

Abstract

Homologous compounds, Fe2O3(ZnO)m, with the modulated natural superlattice structure were obtained within a short period by solid state reaction of component oxides under 2.45GHz microwave irradiation. TEM observation revealed that two types of superlattice structures were observed in different Fe concentration; one is longitudinal superlattice structure in a rod shaped precipitation at high Fe concentration, and the other is modulated structure showing zigzag shape at low Fe concentration. It is conclude that the non-equilibrium nature of microwave selective heating, as well as rapid heating and quenching effects, plays a key role to form the superstructure. The obtained products exhibit ferromagnetic behavior with the Curie temperature above 300K. © 2010 The Ceramic Society of Japan. All rights reserved.