Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Nanocrystalline copper ferrite (Cu0.5Fe2.5O4) was synthesized using a forward strike gelation method with polyacrylic acid (PAA) as a gelating agent. The dried gel was calcined at a low temperature of 400 °C to get the final powder. The effect of pH and the ratio of the cation to the carboxylic group in the initial gel were studied with respect to both the phases and the crystallite size of the final powders synthesized. Phase and crystallite size analysis were done using x-ray diffraction and TEM. Saturation magnetization results were obtained using a SQUID magnetometer. The reactions occurring in the nano-size copper ferrite, in air as a function of temperature, were tracked using adynamic high temperature x-ray diffraction (HTXRD) system.