Thermal characterization of the intermediary products of the synthesis of Zn-substituted barium hexaferrite

The focus of this work is the use of thermal analyses and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) for characterization of the gel decomposition, resulting from the formation of Y-barium hexaferrite substituted by Zn ions (Zn-Y-barium hexaferrite). Samples with Ba₂Zn₂Fe₁₂O₂₂ composition were synthesized by the citrate auto-combustion method. During the TG experiments the highest mass loss was attributed to citrate decomposition owing to the self-combustion reaction, confirmed by the disappearance of –OH band, and the drastic decrease of –CO₂ ⁻and –NO₃ ⁻ bands. Zn substitution resulted in an X-band microwave absorber material.