Magnetization of sol-gel prepared zinc ferrite nanoparticles: Effects of inversion and particle size

Nanoparticles of ZnFe₂O₄ have been prepared by using sol-gel method in two different mediums (acidic and basic) in order to observe the influence of the medium on the magnetic properties of the obtained nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer studies of these samples show the presence of single-phase spinel structure. The average size of the particles as determined by X-ray diffraction increases with the annealing temperature from 18 to 52 nm. With the increase in particle size, magnetization decreases while the magnetization blocking temperature increases. Magnetization studies show that the samples prepared in basic medium have more ferrimagnetic nature as compared to those prepared in acidic medium. We understand this increase in magnetization as reflective of the increased degree of inversion (transfer of Fe³⁺ ions from octahedral to tetrahedral sites) in the particles of smaller size unit cells. From lattice parameter calculations on different particles it is determined that inversion is more favorable in the particles prepared in a basic medium than in the acidic medium due to the smaller cell size in the former.