Synthesis and characterization of structural, microstructural and ferroic properties of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles and CoFe2O4:BaTiO3 core-shell nanocomposites

ABSTRACTCobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (CFO) and CoFe2O4:BaTiO3 (CFO:BTO) nanocomposites were synthesized successfully by a polymeric method and by a combination of polymeric and citrate-gel methods, respectively. Nanoparticles with a uniform shape, good size distribution and a core-shell microstructure were observed by transmission electron microscopy images. X-ray diffraction and ATR-FTIR results attested a cubic spinel structure for CFO nanoparticles and composites core, as well as a BTO tetragonal perovskite structure for nanocomposites shell. All samples presented a ferrimagnetic-like behaviour at 300 K, with coercive fields of 325 Oe and 840 Oe and saturation magnetizations of 46.2 and 59.6 emu/g, respectively, for CFO and CFO:BTO (3:2).