Structural phase stability and Magnetism in Co2FeO4 spinel oxide

TL;DR

This study explores how structural phase stability affects the magnetic properties of Co2FeO4 spinel oxide, revealing ferrimagnetic behavior and phase separation into Co-rich and Fe-rich regions through various characterization techniques.

Contribution

It demonstrates the correlation between phase stability and magnetic properties in Co2FeO4, highlighting the presence of mixed ferrimagnetic phases and multiple Curie temperatures.

Findings

Ferrimagnetic character observed regardless of phase stability.

Phase separation into Co-rich and Fe-rich spinel phases detected.

Two Curie temperatures indicating split magnetic phases.

Abstract

We report a correlation between structural phase stability and magnetic properties of Co2FeO4 spinel oxide. We employed mechanical alloying and subsequent annealing to obtain the desired samples. The particle size of the samples changes from 25 nm to 45 nm. The structural phase separation of samples, except sample annealed at 9000C, into Co rich and Fe rich spinel phase has been examined from XRD spectrum, SEM picture, along with EDAX spectrum, and magnetic measurements. The present study indicated the ferrimagnetic character of Co2FeO4, irrespective of structural phase stability. The observation of mixed ferrimagnetic phases, associated with two Curie temperatures at TC1 and TC2 (>TC1), respectively, provides the additional support of the splitting of single cubic spinel phase in Co2FeO4 spinel oxide.