Synthesis and exchange bias effect of CuFe2O4/NiO nanocomposites

Nanocomposites composed of ferrimagnetic (FM) CuFe2O4 nanoparticles embedded in an antiferromagnetic (AFM) NiO matrix have been synthesized by a new chemical liquid phase route. Microstructural studies indicate that two phases are coexistent in the composites. Magnetic measurements show that the hysteresis loop displays a negative exchange bias behavior with exchange bias field (HEB) about 110 Oe at 10 K, after the sample was cooled from 300 K with a magnetic field of 10 kOe. Furthermore, the exchange bias field decreases with increasing temperature and disappears at T≈200 K. This exchange bias behavior is interpreted in terms of the magnetic exchange coupling between CuFe2O4 and NiO phases at the FM/AFM interfaces.