Structural and Magnetic Properties of Mechanochemically Prepared Li Ferrite Nanoparticles

In this work, lithium ferrite ($Li_{0.5}Fe_{2.5}O_4$) nanoparticles were prepared via mechanochemical processing and subsequent heat treatment at a relatively low ($600^{\circ}C$) calcining temperature. The raw materials used were high purity $Fe_2O_3$ and $Li_2CO_3$ that were milled for between 2 and 20 h. The milled powders were then calcined at temperatures of 500 and $600^{\circ}C$ for 5 h in air. XRD results show that optimum conditions to obtain single phase lithium ferrite nanoparticles with a mean crystallite size of about 23 nm, using Scherrer's formula, are 10 h milling and calcination at $600^{\circ}C$. Saturation magnetization and coercivity of the single phase Li ferrite nanoparticles are 44.6 emu/g and 100 Oe respectively, which are both smaller than those of the bulk Li ferrite. The Curie temperature of the single sample was determined by a Faraday balance, which is $578^{\circ}C$ and smaller than that of bulk Li ferrite.