Structural, magnetic and hyperfine characterization of ZnxFe3–xO4 nanoparticles prepared by sol-gel approach via inorganic precursors

Publication date: March 2018
Source:Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, Volume 114
Author(s): Dzmitry Kotsikau, Vladimir Pankov, Elena Petrova, Valentin Natarov, Dmitry Filimonov, Konstantin Pokholok
Structural characteristics and magnetic properties of ZnxFe3–xO4 (where х = 0; 0.09; 0.18; 0.45; 1) nanoparticles were studied with X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Oxidation of Fe²⁺ ions, redistribution of Zn²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions between octahedral and tetrahedral sites, and the formation of cation vacancies in spinel-type cubic structure of the obtained ZnxFe3–x–y□yO4 substitutional solid solutions were revealed by ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. The nanoparticles synthesized via a modified sol-gel method using inorganic precursors have a size of 4–10 nm, single-phase composition, superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature (300 K) and a relatively hydrophilic surface to form stable aqueous suspensions. The maximum magnetization of 59 emu/g at 300 K corresponds to Zn0.18Fe2.82O4 composition. The listed features make the materials promising candidates for various biological and medical applications such as contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, hyperthermia of pathological tissues, controlled drug release, and separation of nucleic acids.



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