Preparation and Characterization of Nano-Cadmium Ferrite

Nano-hematite (α-Fe2O3) and nano-cadmium ferrite (CdFe2O4) are prepared using template-assisted sol-gel method. The prepared samples are analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Mossbauer spectroscopy techniques for structural and microstructural studies. Nano-α-Fe2O3 with particle size ~60 nm is formed at 500°C, while nano-CdFe2O4 with smaller particle size (~40 nm) is formed at 600°C. It is found that with a simple sol-gel process we can prepare nano-CdFe2O4 with better conditions than other methods: pure phase at lower sintering temperature and time (economic point) and of course with a smaller particle size. So, based on the obtained experimental results, a proposed theoretical model is made to explain the link between the use of the sol-gel process and the formation of nano-CdFe2O4 as a pure phase at low temperature. This model is based on a simple magnetostatic interaction between the formed nuclei within the solution leading to the formation of the stable phase at low temperature.