Size controlled sonochemical synthesis of highly crystalline superparamagnetic Mn-Zn ferrite nanoparticles in aqueous medium

Abstract

Monodisperse Mn<inf>x</inf>Zn<inf>1-</inf><inf>x</inf>Fe<inf>2</inf>O<inf>4</inf> (x = 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8) nanoparticles have been synthesized using two different routes namely sonochemical and polyol methods, and the shape and size along with physiochemical properties of the nanoparticles were compared in detail. In both the routes, the synthesis was performed in a single reaction without the use of any surfactant and deoxygenated conditions. The reaction kinetics and surface adsorption characteristics of nanoparticles were observed by thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements. X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the formation of a pure ferrite phase with cubic spinel structure, and the patterns further clearly indicate that the sonochemical method produces highly crystalline particles without any post calcination reaction, comparing with the polyol process. Transmission electron microscopy results reveal that the nanoparticles synthesized by polyol method are mostly aggregated and spherical in nature whereas the nanoparticles produced by sonochemical method are monodisperse large particles with cubic like shapes. The overall studies demonstrated that the sonochemical method is facile, reliable, rapid and very attractive for the aqueous synthesis of highly crystalline and high magnetic moment (84.5 emu/g) monodisperse superparamagnetic Mn-Zn ferrite nanoparticles which considered as potential materials for various applications. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.