Optimization of the Sol–Gel Chemical Route for Fabrication of Densely Packed NiFe2O4 Nanowires in the AAO Template

In this paper we investigate the thermal decomposition of the citrate-based precursors in order to make the chemical and physical properties appropriate for the fabrication of nickel ferrite nanowires (NWs) through the sol–gel chemical route. IR spectroscopy (FTIR) along with X-ray diffraction (XRD) has been performed to select the suitable chemical and physical conditions for the sol–gel process. The anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) method was used for the template to control the diameter and length of the aligned wires. The morphology of the samples was studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The magnetic measurements were also done by a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results showed that the NiFe 2 O 4 NWs were parallel ordered in the AAO template and their mean diameter is 80–100 nm with high aspect ratio of 600.