Synthesis, Investigation on Structural and Magnetic Behaviors of Spinel M-Ferrite [M = Fe; Zn; Mn] Nanoparticles from Iron Sand

Spinel M-ferrite [M = Fe; Zn; Mn] nanoparticles were prepared from iron sand using a coprecipitation sonochemical approach. The purified Fe3O4 from iron sand, ZnCl2 and MnCl2.4H2O, HCl, and NH4OH were used as raw materials. X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD), Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Vibration Sample Magnetometer (VSM) were employed to characterize the crystal structure, functional groups, particle size, morphology, and magnetic behavior of the prepared samples, respectively. From the XRD data analysis, M-ferrite particles exhibited a single phase in spinel structure. Furthermore, the M ferrite particle increased their lattice parameter and crystal volume tracking the metallic-ionic radii of M. The particle size of the M-ferrites particles varied with M, whereas the biggest and lowest were for Zn and Mn, respectively. Based on the magnetization curve, the M ferrite nanoparticles tended to perform a superparamagnetic behavior and their saturation magnetization as a function of their M ion and particle size.