Soft mechanochemical synthesis of MgFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles from the mixture of α -Fe 2 O 3 with Mg(OH) 2 and Fe(OH) 3 with Mg(OH) 2

Abstract

The influence of long term soft milling of a mixture of (1) Mg(OH)₂ and α-Fe₂O₃ and (2) Mg(OH)₂ and Fe(OH)₃ powders in a planetary ball mill on the reaction synthesis of nanosized MgFe₂O₄ ferrites was studied. Soft mechanochemical reaction leading to formation of the MgFe₂O₄ spinel phase was followed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and magnetisation measurements. The spinel phase formation was first observed after 5 h of milling and its formation was completed after 15 h in case (2). The synthesised MgFe₂O₄ ferrite had a nanocrystalline structure with a crystallite size of about 10 and 15 nm respectively for cases (1) and (2). Measurements after 15 h of milling show magnetisation values of 15·23 and 10·14 J T^–1 kg^–1 respectively for cases (1) and (2).