Nanostructural, morphological and magnetic studies of PEG/Mn(1-x)Zn(x)Fe2O4 nanoparticles synthesized by co-precipitation

Abstract

The coating of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) on zinc substituted manganese ferrite nanoparticles has been reported in the present study. Single phase nanoferrites bearing the chemical formula Mn(1−x)Zn(x)Fe2O4 (0.0≤x≤1.0) were produced under low reaction temperature of 75 °C and their morphological, structural and magnetic characterizations were performed. The prepared ferrites were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scan electron microscopy images (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) techniques. XRD revealed the formation of spinel single-phase structure for the samples with Zn-content. The crystallite sizes estimated using Scherer formula were in the range 4.50–15.89 nm. The characteristic bands of PEG as observed in its Fourier transform infrared spectrum technique were also present in PEG layer on Mn–Zn ferrite nanoparticles, hence confirming its presence. The presence of PEG on Mn(1−x)Zn(x)Fe2O4 nanoparticles, spherical formation of PEG coated Mn(1−x)Zn(x)Fe2O4 nanoparticles and reduced agglomeration in the Mn(1−x)Zn(x)Fe2O4 nanoparticles were revealed by FE-SEM. The measurements of magnetic properties at room temperature by VSM showed that all samples behaved superparamagnetic with magnetization (M) and coercivity in the range of 1.86–20.66 emu/g and 12.922–30.253 Oe, respectively. The M–H loop of all the samples is narrow with low value of coercivity and retentivity; indicating the superparamagnetic nature of these samples.