Nanofabrication of Zinc Ferrite (ZnFe2O4) composites for biomedical application

Today, green synthesis method for manufacturing of the nanoparticles (NPs) is the common rout for biomedical application. In this article, ZnFe2O4 NPs are fabricated by solgel method in the presence of surfactants. The samples are studied by x-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), field effect scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), x-ray fluorescence (XRF) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The XRD results show hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO and spinel phase of rhombohedral α-Fe2O3. The crystallite size of annealed samples are calculated around 57 nm. The SEM images show that the NPs change from rod-shape to nanoparticle clusters of ZnFe2O4 by increasing temperature after annealing. The TEM studies show the formation of Fe2O3 shell around NPs with a diameter of 10 nm for as-prepared samples. The sharp peaks in FTIR spectrum indicate the stretching vibrations of Fe and Zn groups in the frequencies of 675, 602 cm-1 and 476 cm-1. The results of magnetic measurements show coercive field and saturation magnetism around 2298 G and 34 memu/g respectively, for as-prepared samples. The XRF analysis demonstrate the decreasing of the Fe weight percent from 41.28 %Wt. to 39.64 %Wt., by increasing temperature.