• New Physics: Sae Mulli
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• v.68 no.12
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• pp.1302-1307
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• 2018

The crystallographic, electrical and magnetic behaviors of magnetite powder in the vicinity of its Verwey transition were investigated in this study. Magnetite was prepared by synthesizing a nanoparticle precursor and then annealing it at $800^{\circ}C$ for 1 h under a dynamic vacuum. Crystallographic and morphology analyses were done by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrical and the magnetic properties were examined by using $M{\ddot{o}}ssbauer$ spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and resistivity measurement. Both the magnetic moment and the resistivity showed discontinuous changes at the Verwey transition temperature ($T_V$). The temperature dependence of magnetic anisotropy constant showed a monotonic decrease with increasing temperature, with slight dip near $T_V$. $M{\ddot{o}}ssbauer$ spectra showed the superposition of two sextets, one from the tetrahedral (A) and the other from the octahedral (B) sites. The results revealed that identical charge states existed in the B site at temperatures both above and below $T_V$. A coordination crossover resulted in a transition from an inverse to a normal spinel at or close to $T_V$.