Solids
Photocatalytic and magnetic properties of zinc ferrite nanoparticles
K. D. Martinson,
A. A. Murashkin Ioffe Institute, St. Petersburg
Abstract:
In this work, via the solution combustion method using citric acid as an organic fuel at various Red/Ox ratios (
$f$ = 0.25, 0.50,
$\dots$, 1.50), zinc ferrite powders with an average particle size from 5.9
$\pm$ 1 to 30.9
$\pm$ 3 nm and fractions of the crystalline phase from 64 to 99% were obtained. It is shown that the formation of ferrite begins at a Red/Ox ratio of
$f$ = 0.50, while at a ratio of
$f$ = 0.25 an almost completely X-ray amorphous sample is formed with an average particle size of the order of 6 nm and possessing a superparamagnetic behavior. In the region of stoichiometric content of organic fuel, a solid product is formed containing one phase - zinc ferrite, with an average particle size of 20–25 nm. All samples, with the exception of those synthesized at a ratio of
$f$ = 0.25, exhibit antiferromagnetic behavior. The highest values of saturation magnetization (Ms = 43.8 emu/g), remanent magnetization (Mr = 27.2 emu/g) and coercive force (Hc = 336.2 Oe) were found in the sample synthesized at
$f$ = 1.00, which corresponds to the stoichiometric content of citric acid in reaction solution. Spectrophotometric studies showed that all samples contributed to the decomposition of the organic dye (Rhodamine B). The best decomposition parameters were recorded for samples that did not contain impurity phases, had the smallest particle size and contained the largest percentage of the crystalline phase of zinc ferrite.
Keywords:
zinc ferrite, solution combustion, citric acid, magnetic properties, photocatalytic properties. Received: 14.03.2024
Revised: 15.06.2025
Accepted: 15.06.2025
DOI:
10.61011/JTF.2025.10.61355.84-24
Fulltext:
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