Fabrication and magnetic properties of electrospun copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) nanofibers

Tetragonal copper ferrite (CuFe₂O₄) nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning method using a solution that contained poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and Cu and Fe nitrates as alternative metal sources. The as-spun and calcined CuFe₂O₄/PVP composite samples were characterized by TG-DTA, X-ray diffraction, FT-IR, and SEM, respectively. After calcination of the as-spun CuFe₂O₄/PVP composite nanofibers (fiber size of 89 ± 12 nm in diameter) at 500 °C in air for 2 h, CuFe₂O₄ nanofibers of 66 ± 13 nm in diameter having well-developed tetragonal structure were successfully obtained. The crystal structure and morphology of the nanofibers were influenced by the calcination temperature. After calcination at 600 and 700 °C, the nature of nanofibers changed which was possibly due to the reorganization of the CuFe₂O₄ structure at high temperature, and a fiber structure of packed particles or crystallites was prominent. Crystallite size of the nanoparticles contained in nanofibers increases from 7.9 to 23.98 nm with increasing calcination temperature between 500 and 700 °C. Room temperature magnetization results showed a ferromagnetic behavior of the calcined CuFe₂O₄ samples, having their specific saturation magnetization (M_s) values of 17.73, 20.52, and 23.98 emu/g for the samples calcined at 500, 600, and 700 °C, respectively.     

Studies on magnetocapacitance,dielectric, ferroelectric,and magnetic properties of microwave sintered (1-x) (Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3) - x (Co0.9Ni0.1Fe2O4) multiferroic composite

Present paper reports the synthesis of multiferroic composite (1-x) [Ba_0.8Sr_0.2Ti)O₃]-x[Co_0.9Ni_0.1Fe₂O₄] were x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4. Both phases of the composite i.e. ferroelectric (BST) and ferrite (CNFO) are synthesized via hydroxide co-precipitation method followed by microwave sintering technique at 1100 °C. These composites were characterized for their structural, microstructural, dielectric analysis, magnetodielectric (MD) effect and ferroelectric properties. Presence of both the phases ferroelectric (BST) and ferromagnetic (CNFO) are confirmed by the x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopic analysis. Maxwell-Wagner type dielectric dispersion is observed in frequency dependent dielectric measurement. Temperature-dependent dielectric properties were measured from 25 °C to 500 °C at various applied frequencies. Ferroelectric behavior in the composites was confirmed by the polarization vs. Electric field analysis. The magnetodielectric effect was studied in the presence of applied magnetic field from 0 to 1 Tesla. Magnetocapacitance (%) increases with increase in the ferrite concentration in the ferroelectric phase. The maximum percentage of magnetocapacitance is observed in 60BST-40CNFO composite which is MC = 30% at the frequency 1 KHz with the applied magnetic field is 1-Tesla. Room temperature magnetic hysteresis loops show an increase in saturation magnetization (Ms) with an increase in ferrite concentration.     

Preparation of ferrite MFe2O4 (M = Co, Ni) ribbons with nanoporous structure and their magnetic properties

Spinel ferrite, MFe 2O 4 (M = Co, Ni), ribbons with nanoporous structure were prepared by electrospinning combined with sol-gel technology. The ribbons were formed through the agglomeration of magnetic nanoparticles with PVP as the structure directing template. The length of the polycrystalline ribbons can reach millimeters, and the width of the ribbons can be tuned from several micrometers to several hundred nanometers by changing the concentration of precursor. The nanoporous structure was formed during the decomposition of PVP and inorganic salts. The ribbons exhibited weak saturation magnetizations and low coercivities at room temperature, but at low temperature, saturation magnetizations and coercivities increased a lot, especially for CoFe 2O 4 ribbons, reaching 72 emu/g and 1.45 T at 2 k, respectively. These novel magnetic ribbons can potentially be used in micro/nano electronic devices, gas-sensors, and catalysts.     

Tunable electrical and magnetic properties of half-metallic Zn(x)Fe(3-x)O4 from first principles

The electrical and magnetic properties of Zn-doped Fe(3)O(4) at different doping concentrations of Zn have been investigated using a density functional method with generalized-gradient approximation corrected for on-site Coulombic interactions. The electronic structure calculation predicts that Zn(x)Fe(3-x)O(4) (0 ≤x≤ 0.875) is half-metallic with a full spin polarization. The hopping carrier concentration of Zn(x)Fe(3-x)O(4) decreases with increasing x, which indicates a distinct increase in the resistivity. The saturation magnetization of Zn(x)Fe(3-x)O(4) increases evidently with increasing x from x = 0 to x = 0.75 (i.e. from 4.0 to 8.3 μ(B)/f.u.) and then decreases rapidly to zero at x = 1. The robust half-metallicity, large tunability of electrical and magnetic properties of a Zn doped Fe(3)O(4) system make it a promising functional material for spintronic applications.     

Electrodeposition of Bi(x)Fe(1-x) intermetallic compound nanowire arrays and their magnetic properties

There have been few reports on Bi-Fe intermetallic compounds because Bi and Fe are immiscible in the equilibrium states and neither alloy nor intermetallic compound exists in the binary system. In this paper, we show that, by using the nanometer-scale templates based synthesis in conjunction with the electrochemical deposition, it is possible to mix in solid solution elements that are immiscible in traditional fabrication methods. The preparation of Bi-Fe intermetallic compound nanowire arrays was investigated via an electrodeposition route by using a polycarbonate (PC) membrane template. Cyclic voltammetry, potentiostatic transient, and potentiostatic stripping were used to study the formation of Bi(x)Fe(1-x) intermetallic compounds. The compositions of Bi(1-x)Fe(x) intermetallic compound nanowire arrays were sensitive to the bath compositions and the electrodeposition potentials, and the length could be easily adjusted by varying the electrodeposition time. The electrodeposited Bi(1-x)Fe(x) intermetallic compound nanowire arrays had a parallel-to-the-wire easy magnetization. Furthermore, the spin-glass such as behavior and an unusually large characteristic time, which was about 5.26 h, were found in Bi(1-x)Fe(x) intermetallic compound nanowire arrays at room temperature.     

Structural and thermochemical chemisorption of CO2 on Li(4+x)(Si(1-x)Al(x))O4 and Li(4-x)(Si(1-x)V(x))O4 solid solutions

Different Li(4)SiO(4) solid solutions containing aluminum (Li(4+x)(Si(1-x)Al(x))O(4)) or vanadium (Li(4-x)(Si(1-x)V(x))O(4)) were prepared by solid state reactions. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance. Then, samples were tested as CO(2) captors. Characterization results show that both, aluminum and vanadium ions, occupy silicon sites into the Li(4)SiO(4) lattice. Thus, the dissolution of aluminum is compensated by Li(1+) interstitials, while the dissolution of vanadium leads to lithium vacancies formation. Finally, the CO(2) capture evaluation shows that the aluminum presence into the Li(4)SiO(4) structure highly improves the CO(2) chemisorption, and on the contrary, vanadium addition inhibits it. The differences observed between the CO(2) chemisorption processes are mainly correlated to the different lithium secondary phases produced in each case and their corresponding diffusion properties.     

Impact of Gd3+ and Nd3+ ions substitution on structural and magnetic properties of Co0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 ferrite system

Co_0.5Ni_0.5(Gd/Nd)_xFe_2-xO₄ (x ?= ?0.0 and 0.06) ferrites were prepared by the solid-state reaction method. These materials were characterized by XRD, FT-IR spectroscopy, and VSM techniques. The XRD analysis revealed the phase formation of all samples and their cubic spinel structure with the Fd-3m space group. Lattice constant was found to increase due to Gd and Nd ions substitution. However, the crystallite size was observed to decrease by the substitution effect. The FT-IR spectra showed the two vibrational frequency bands of the tetrahedral and octahedral sites. From the magnetic properties study, it was identified that the pure and Gd substituted Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄ ferrite showed a ferromagnetic behaviour. While the Nd substituted Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄ ferrite delivered a superparamagnetic behaviour. The substitution of Gd and Nd changed the values of the magnetic parameters of Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄ ferrite. An increase in the saturation magnetization (M_s) value was observed due to substitution of Gd and Nd in Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄ ferrite, indicating that Gd and Nd substitution strengthen the supermagnetic interactions in Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄ ferrite. The highest value of M_s was observed in Gd doped sample.     

Local structure of actinide dioxide solid solutions Th(1-x)U(x)O2 and Th(1-x)Pu(x)O2

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) has been utilized to investigate the local atomic structure around Th, U, and Pu atoms in polycrystalline mixed dioxides Th(1-x)M(x)O2 (with M = U, Pu) for x ranging from 0 to 1. The composition dependence of the two first-coordination-shell distances was measured throughout the entire composition range for both solid solutions. The first-shell distances vary slightly across the solid-solution composition with values close to those of the pure dioxide parents, indicating a bimodal cation-oxygen distribution. In contrast, the second-shell distance varies strongly with composition, with values close to the weighted amount average distances. Nevertheless, in both systems, the lattice cell parameters, deduced from the first- and second-shell bond determined by EXAFS, are very close to those measured from X-ray diffraction (XRD). They vary linearly with composition, accurately following Vegard's law.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of a new series of vanadoselenites, [Se(x)V(4-x)O(12-x)](4-x)- (x=1,2)

Two new vanadoselenites, [SeV(3)O(11)](3)(-) and [Se(2)V(2)O(10)](2)(-), were synthesized by reacting SeO(2) with VO(3)(-). Single-crystal X-ray structural analyses of [(n-C(4)H(9))(4)N](3)[SeV(3)O(11)].0.5H(2)O [orthorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2, a = 22.328(5) A, b = 44.099(9) A, c = 12.287(3) A, Z = 8] and [[(C(6)H(5))(3)P](2)N](2)[Se(2)V(2)O(10)] [monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n, a = 12.2931(3) A, b = 13.5101(3) A, c = 20.9793(5) A, beta = 106.307(1) degrees, Z = 2] revealed that both anions are composed of Se(x)()V(4)(-)(x)()O(4) rings. The (51)V, (77)Se, and (17)O NMR spectra established that both [SeV(3)O(11)](3)(-) and [Se(2)V(2)O(10)](2)(-) anions maintain this ring structure in solution.     

LaCo(1-x)Ni(x)O(3) with Improved Electrical Conductivity

To determine the applicability of LaCo(1-x)Ni(x)O(3) in a conductive material for electrical wiring, the dependence of the electronic transport property on the Ni content is investigated via Hall effect measurements, Rietveld analyses, and band-structure calculations. Ni doping (50 mol %) into the Co sites realizes a high electrical conductivity of 1.9 × 10(3) S/cm, which is an unexpectedly high value for a LaCo(1-x)Ni(x)O(3) system, at room temperature due to the high carrier concentration of 2.2 × 10(22) cm(-3) and the small effective mass of 0.1 m(e). In addition, the high electrical conductivity is maintained from room temperature to 900 °C; that is, the temperature coefficient of the conductivity is smaller than that of standard metals. Thus, the results indicate that LaCo(0.5)Ni(0.5)O(3) is suitable as a conductive material for electrical wiring at high temperatures in air.     

Systematic study of compositional and synthetic control of vacancy and magnetic ordering in oxygen-deficient perovskites Ca2Fe(2-x)Mn(x)O(5+y)and CaSrFe(2-x)Mn(x)O(5+y) (x = 1/2, 2/3, and 1; y = 0-1/2)

Ten compounds belonging to the series of oxygen-deficient perovskite oxides Ca(2)Fe(2-x)Mn(x)O(5) and CaSrFe(2-x)Mn(x)O(5+y), where x = 1/2, 2/3, and 1 and y ≈ 0-0.5, were synthesized and investigated with respect to the ordering of oxygen vacancies on both local and long-range length scales and the effect on crystal structure and magnetic properties. For the set with y ≈ 0 the oxygen vacancies always order in the long-range sense to form the brownmillerite structure containing alternating layers of octahedrally and tetrahedrally coordinated cations. However, there is a change in symmetry from Pnma to Icmm upon substitution of Sr for one Ca for all x, indicating local T(d) chain (vacancy) disorder. In the special case of CaSrFeMnO(5) the neutron diffraction peaks broaden, indicating only short-range structural order on a length scale of ~160 ?. This reveals a systematic progression from Ca(2)FeMnO(5) (Pnma, well-ordered tetrahedral chains) to CaSrFeMnO(5) (Icmm, disordered tetrahedral chains, overall short-range order) to Sr(2)FeMnO(5) (Pm3m, destruction of tetrahedral chains in a long-range sense). Systematic changes occur in the magnetic properties as well. While long-range antiferromagnetic order is preserved, the magnetic transition temperature, T(c), decreases for the same x when Sr substitutes for one Ca. A review of the changes in T(c) for the series Ca(2)Fe(2-x)M(x)O(5), taking into account the tetrahedral/octahedral site preferences for the various M(3+) ions, leads to a partial understanding of the origin of magnetic order in these materials in terms of a layered antiferromagnetic model. While in all cases the preferred magnetic moment direction is (010) at low temperatures, there is a cross over for x = 0.5 to (100) with increasing temperature for both the Ca(2)Fe(2-x)Mn(x)O(5) and the CaSrFe(2-x)Mn(x)O(5) series. For the y > 0 phases, while a brownmillerite ordering of oxygen vacancies is preserved for the Ca(2) phases, a disordered Pm3m cubic perovskite structure is always found when Sr is substituted for one Ca. Long-range magnetic order is also lost, giving way to spin glass or cluster-glass-like behavior below ~50 K. For the x = 0.5 phase, neutron pair distribution function (NPDF) studies show a local structure related to brownmillerite ordering of oxygen vacancies. Neutron diffraction data at 3.8 K show a broad magnetic feature, incommensurate with any multiple of the chemical lattice, and with a correlation length (magnetic domain) of 6.7(4) ?.     

Local electronic structure of layered Li(x)Ni0.5Mn0.5O2 and Li(x)Ni(1/3)Mn(1/3)Co(1/3)O2

Samples of Li(x)Ni0.5Mn0.5O2 and Li(x)Ni(1/3)Mn(1/3)Co(1/3)O2 were prepared as active materials in electrochemical half-cells and were cycled electrochemically to obtain different values of Li concentration, x. Absorption edges of Ni, Mn, Co, and O in these materials of differing x were measured by electron energy loss spectrometry (EELS) in a transmission electron microscope to determine the changes in local electronic structure caused by delithiation. The work was supported by electronic structure calculations with the VASP pseudopotential package, the full-potential linear augmented plane wave code WIEN2K, and atomic multiplet calculations that took account of the electronic effects from local octahedral symmetry. A valence change from Ni2+ to Ni4+ with delithiation would have caused a 3 eV shift in energy of the intense white line at the Ni L3 edge, but the measured shift was less than 1.2 eV. The intensities of the "white lines" at the Ni L-edges did not change enough to account for a substantial change of Ni valence. No changes were detectable at the Mn and Co L-edges after delithiation either. Both EELS and the computational efforts showed that most of the charge compensation for Li+ takes place at hybridized O 2p states, not at Ni atoms.     

NiCr x Fe2-x O4 as cathode materials for electrochemical reduction of NO x

Solid solutions of spinel-type oxides with the composition NiCr _x Fe_2-x O₄ (x = 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0) were prepared with the glycine–nitrate combustion synthesis. Four-point DC resistivity measurements show an increase in the conductivity as more Cr is introduced into the structure, whereas dilatometer measurements show that the linear thermal expansion decreases with increasing Cr content. The oxides were used as electrode materials in a pseudo-three-electrode setup in the temperature range of 300–600 °C. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to characterize the electrochemical behavior in 1% NO, 1% NO₂, and 10% O₂. NiCr₂O₄ shows high activity in NO and NO₂ relative to O₂ and can therefore be considered as a possible electrode material. Peaks were detected in the voltammograms recorded on NiCr₂O₄ in 1% NO. The origin of the peaks seems to be related to the oxidation of Cr or the formation of nitrogen-containing species formed on the surface of the electrode.     

Mischkristallbildung in den Systemen Co1−x Ni x Cr2S4, Cu1−x Ni x Cr2S4 und Co1−x Cu x Cr2S4 Chromchalkogenide, 5. Mitt.

Zusammenfassung Durch Zusammensintern der Elemente bzw, der binären Sulfide wurde die gegenseitige Mischbarkeit in den Systemen CoCr₂S₄–NiCr₂S₄, CuCr₂S₄–NiCr₂S₄ und CoCr₂S₄–CuCr₂S₄ untersucht. In den Thiospinellen CoCr₂S₄ und CuCr₂S₄ können bis zu 20 (26) At% des Kobalts (Kupfers) durch Nickel substituiert werden (950°C), in das monokline NiCr₂S₄ wird nur wenig Kobalt bzw. Kupfer eingebaut. Zwischen dem halbleitenden, ferrimagnetischen Kobaltchromthiospinell und der metallisch leitenden, ferromagnetischen Kupferverbindung wurde lückenlose Mischkristallbildung beobachtet. Der von derVegardschen Regel abweichende Verlauf der Gitterkonstanten wird im Vergleich mit dem elektrischen und magnetischen Verhalten der Mischkristallreihe diskutiert.

---

Chromium chalcogenides, V. Miscibility within the SystemsCoCr ₂S₄–NiCr₂S₄, CuCr₂S₄–NiCr₂S₄ andCoCr ₂S₄–CuCr₂S₄

The miscibility within the systems CoCr₂S₄–NiCr₂S₄, CuCr₂S₄–NiCr₂S₄ and CoCr₂S₄–CuCr₂S₄ was studied by annealing the elements or binary sulphides. In the thiospinels CoCr₂S₄ and CuCr₂S₄, 20 per cent of cobalt and 26 per cent of copper, resp., can be substituted by nickel at 950°C. In monoclinic NiCr₂S₄, only small amounts of cobalt or copper are dissolved. The formation of a complete solid solution series was observed between the semiconducting ferrimagnetic CoCr₂S₄ and the metallic conducting ferromagnetic CuCr₂S₄. The deviation fromVegard's rule of lattice constants is discussed with respect to the electrical and magnetic behaviour of the solid solution series.

---

---

Mit 3 Abbildungen     

Cyano-bridged pentanuclear Fe(III)3M(II)2 (M = Ni, Co, Fe) clusters: synthesis, structures, and magnetic properties

The reactions of [M(II)(Tpm(Me))(H2O)3]2+ (M = Ni, Co, Fe; Tpm(Me) = tris(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazoyl)methane) with [Bu4N][(Tp)Fe(III)(CN)3] (Bu4N+ = tetrabutylammonium cation; Tp = tris(pyrazolyl)hydroborate) in MeCN-Et2O afford three pentanuclear cyano-bridged clusters, [(Tp)3(Tpm(Me))2Fe(III)3M(II)2(CN)9]ClO4.15H2O (M = Ni, 1; M = Co, 2) and [(Tp)3(Tpm(Me))2Fe(III)3Fe(II)2(CN)9]BF4.15H2O (3). Single-crystal X-ray analyses reveal that they show the same trigonal bipyramidal structure featuring a D3h-symmetry core, in which two opposing Tpm(Me)-ligated M(II) ions situated in the two apical positions are linked through cyanide bridges to an equatorial triangle of three Tp-ligated Fe(III) (S = 1/2) centers. Magnetic studies for complex 1 show ferromagnetic coupling giving an S = 7/2 ground state and an appreciable magnetic anisotropy with a negative D(7/2) value equal to -0.79 cm(-1). Complex 2 shows zero-field splitting parameters deducted from the magnetization data with D = -1.33 cm(-1) and g = 2.81. Antiferromagnetic interaction was observed in complex 3.     

Exploring LiZnNbO4 as a Host for New Colored Compounds: Synthesis,Structure, and Material Properties of NbZn1-x Mx LiO4 (M=Mn,Co, Ni,Fe) and Nb1-ySby Zn1-x Mx LiO4 (M=Co,Ni)

The non - centrosymmetric tetragonal inverse spinel structure of LiZnNbO₄ has been explored with a view to prepare new colored compounds. The substitution of Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Cu²⁺ ions were attempted in the place of Zn²⁺ ions and Sb⁵⁺ ions in place of Nb⁵⁺ ions. The studies indicated that 0.75 Zn²⁺ ions in LiZnNbO₄ can be replaced by Co²⁺ ions and 0.5 Zn²⁺ ions in LiZnNb_0.5Sb_0.5O₄ compound. The substitution of Co²⁺ ions gives rise to different shades of blue color in Li(Zn_1-xCo_x)NbO₄ compounds and from ink blue to blue-green color in Li(Zn_1-xCo_x)(Nb_0.5Sb_0.5)O₄ compounds. The different colors observed in the present study were explained by the traditional allowed d-d transitions as well as the metal-to-metal charge transfer (MMCT) transitions involving Nb⁵⁺ (4d⁰) ions and partially filled 3d electrons. The SHG studies indicate that the prepared compounds are SHG active. All the compounds exhibit reasonable dielectric behavior with low loss. The XPS studies confirm the oxidation states of the different substituted ions. Raman studies indicate variations in the bands due to the substitutions in the parent LiZnNbO₄ phase. Magnetic studies on the Co²⁺ ions substituted compounds suggest antiferromagnetic behavior.     

Photophysical and photocatalytic properties of Ca(1-x)BixVxMo(1-x)O4 solid solutions

New solid solutions with the composition of Ca(1-x)BixVxMo(1-x)O4 prepared by a solid-state method were found as novel photocatalysts with enhanced activity for O(2) evolution from aqueous solutions containing sacrificial reagent AgNO3 under visible-light irradiation (>420 nm). The obtained solid solutions crystallized in tetragonal crystal structures, except one of the end compounds, BiVO4, which crystallized in monoclinic structures. The diffuse reflection spectra of the solid solutions shift monotonically to a long wavelength as the ratio of Bi (V) ions to Ca (Mo) ions increases in the solid solution. The band structure and the dependence of the photocatalytic properties were discussed in relation to the solid-solution compositions and photophysical properties.     

Crystal structures and magnetic properties of the honeycomb-lattice antiferromagnet M2(pymca)3(ClO4), (M = Fe,Co, Ni)

We report on the syntheses, crystal structures, and magnetic properties of a series of transition metal coordination polymers M₂(pymca)₃(ClO₄), (pymca = pyrimidine-2-carboxylic acid, M = Fe (1), Co (2), and Ni (3)). These compounds are found to crystallize in a trigonal crystal system, space group P31m, with the lattice constants a = 9.727 Å and c = 5.996 Å for 1, a = 9.608 Å and c = 5.996 Å for 2, and a = 9.477 Å and c = 5.958 Å for 3 at room temperature. In these compounds, each pymca ligand connects to two M²⁺ ions, forming a honeycomb network in the ab plane. The temperature dependences of magnetic susceptibilities in these compounds show broad maxima, indicating antiferromagnetic interactions within two-dimensional honeycomb layers. We also observed an antiferromagnetic phase transition at low temperatures by magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity measurements. From the crystal structures and magnetic properties, we conclude that the compounds 1, 2, and 3 are good realizations of honeycomb-lattice antiferromagnets.