Structural and mechanical properties of AFe2O4 (A = Zn, Cu0.5Zn0.5, Ni0.3Cu0.2Zn0.5) nanoparticles prepared by citrate method at low temperature

Abstract

In this work, the structural and elastic moduli properties of ZnFe2O4, Zn0.5Cu0.5Fe2O4, and Ni0.<br />3Cu0.2Zn0.5Fe2O4 ferrites prepared by the citrate method have been investigated. The structural<br />characterization of the samples is evidence for a cubic structure with Fd-3m space group. The<br />Halder-Wagner analysis was used to study crystallite sizes and lattice strain and also stress<br />and energy density. The cation distribution for each composition has been suggested. The<br />experimental and theoretical lattice constants were found to be in good agreement with each<br />other confirming the agreeability of the suggested cation distribution. The force constants<br />for tetrahedral and octahedral sites have been determined by infrared spectral analysis. The<br />increase in force constants of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles compared to other samples suggests the<br />elastic properties of this sample is better than the other samples. The values of Young's modulus,<br />rigidity modulus, bulk modulus, Debye temperature have been determined. In addition,<br />using the values of the compliance sij obtained from elastic stiffness constants, the values of<br />Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio along the oriented direction have been calculated for the<br />samples. Consequently, we can conclude the ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles could be more useful in<br />industrial applications because of their elastic properties compared to other samples.