Vol. 24, No. 2 (2025), Mat25509 https://doi.org/10.24275/rmiq/Mat25509

Synthesis of zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) by mechanical grinding and calcination with a magnetite/maghemite precursor obtained by coprecipitation, its influence on crystalline, morphological and thermal properties, for its potential use at high temperatures

 

Authors

E. M. Garcia-Rosales, M. G. Rosales-Sosa, I. A. Facundo-Arzola, M. García-Yregoi, C. V. Reyes-Guzmán, Y.M. Rangel-Hernández, B. I. Rosales-Sosa

Abstract

Magnetite/maghemite produced by chemical coprecipitation at different temperatures was reacted with reagent-grade zinc oxide to produce zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) by mechanical grinding. After grinding, calcination was applied at 400 °C for 3 hours. The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). After grinding treatment, three-phase combinations were observed of the same ferrite, which had not been reported previously and which were stabilized by the application of a calcination treatment. The crystallite sizes of the zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) compound ranged from 10.602 nm to 11.602 nm. Particle agglomerations were found by SEM, while TGA analysis shows possible moisture loss, in addition to stability at high temperatures. DSC analysis shows endothermic and exothermic reactions. The best results were obtained with magnetite/maghemite stabilized at 300 °C.

Keywords

mechanical milling, zinc ferrite, coprecipitation, magnetite/maghemite, calcination.

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