Date of Graduation
Spring 2022
Degree
Master of Science in Materials Science
Department
Physics, Astronomy, and Materials Science
Committee Chair
Robert Mayanovic
Abstract
Bimagnetic nanoparticles show promise for applications in energy efficient magnetic storage media and magnetic device applications. The magnetic properties, including the exchange bias of nanostructured materials can be tuned by variation of the size, composition, and morphology of the core vs overlayer of the nanoparticles (NPs). The purpose of this study is to investigate the optimal synthesis routes, structure and magnetic properties of novel CoO/NiFe2O4 heterostructured nanocrystals (HNCs). In this work, I aim to examine how the size impacts the exchange bias, coercivity and other magnetic properties of the CoO/NiFe2O4 HNCs. The nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 10 nm to 24 nm were formed by synthesis of an antiferromagnetic (AFM) CoO core and deposition of a ferrimagnetic (FiM) NiFe2O4 overlayer. A highly crystalline magnetic phase is more likely to occur when the morphology of the core-overgrowth is present, which enhances the coupling at the AFM-FiM interface. The CoO core NPs are prepared using thermal decomposition of Co(OH)2 at 600 °C for 2 hours in a pure argon atmosphere, whereas the HNCs are obtained first using thermal evaporation followed by hydrothermal synthesis. The structural and morphological characterization made using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques verifies that the HNCs are comprised of a CoO core and a NiFe2O4 overgrowth phase. Rietveld refinement of the XRD data shows that the CoO core has the rocksalt (Fd3̅m) crystal structure and the NiFe2O4 overgrowth has the spinel (C12/m1) crystal structure. SEM-EDS data indicates the presence and uniform distribution of Co, Ni and Fe in the HNCs. The results from PPMS magnetization measurements and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) of the CoO/NiFe2O4 HNCs are discussed herein.
Keywords
bimagnetic nanoparticles, CoO/NiFe2O4 core/overlayer, hydrothermal, interface exchange coupling, coercivity, nanomagnetism
Subject Categories
Other Materials Science and Engineering
Copyright
© Muhammad Sharif Uddin
Recommended Citation
Uddin, Muhammad Sharif, "On the Synthesis and Characterization of Bimagnetic CoO/NiFe2O4 Heterostructured Nanoparticles" (2022). MSU Graduate Theses. 3805.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/3805
