Structure and morphology of spinel MFe₂O₄ (M=Fe, Co, Ni) nanoparticles chemically synthesized from heterometallic complexes

We synthesized magnetic spinel ferrites from trimetallic single-source precursors. Fe(II), Co(II), and Ni(II) ferrite nanoparticles in the range of 9–25nm were synthesized by solvothermal decomposition of trimetallic acetate complex precursors in benzyl ether in the presence of oleic acid and oleylamine, using 1,2-dodecanediol as the reducing agent. For comparison, spinel ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized by stoichiometric mixtures of metal acetate or acetylacetonate salts. The nanoparticles (NP) were characterized by TEM, DLS, powder XRD, and Raman spectroscopy; and their magnetic properties were characterized by ZFC–FC and M(H) measurements. The ferrite-NP were more homogeneous and had a narrower size distribution when trimetallic complexes were used as precursors. As a consequence, the magnetic properties of these ferrite-NP are closer to the aimed room temperature superparamagnetic behavior, than are those of other ferrites obtained by a mixture of salts.