Strontium ferrite nanoparticle study: Thermal decomposition synthesis, characterization, and optical and magnetic properties

Monoferrite strontium ferrite nanoparticles were successfully synthesized in the presence of strontium oxalate. [(SrC2O4)], as strontium precursor by using solid-state thermal decomposition method. X-ray diffraction study was used to determine phase purity, crystal structure, and average crystallite size of the strontium ferrite nanoparticles. The electrical conductivity measurement of the sintered sample was carried out at 300 degrees C. Metal nitrates and oxalate precursor without any solvent or surfactant were used in this method; later, they were decomposed at 850 degrees C for 2 h in a gas mixture of 85% Ar and 15% H-2. The average diameter of the strontium ferrite nanoparticles was 40 nm. The as-prepared strontium ferrite nanoparticles were characterized extensively by techniques like XRD, transmission electron microscope (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), room temperature photoluminescence (PI), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.