Tuning of magnetic properties in cobalt ferrite nanocrystals

Cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) possesses excellent chemical stability, good mechanical hardness, and a large positive first order crystalline anisotropy constant, making it a promising candidate for magneto-optical recording media. In addition to precise control of the composition and structure of CoFe₂O₄, its practical application will require the capability to control particle size at the nanoscale. The results of a synthesis approach in which size control is achieved by modifying the oversaturation conditions during ferrite formation in water through a modified coprecipitation approach are reported. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) diffraction, and TEM energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analyses confirmed the formation of the nanoscale cobalt ferrite. M-H measurements verified the strong influence of synthesis conditions on crystal size and hence, on the magnetic properties of ferrite nanocrystals. The room-temperature coercivity values increased from 460 up to 4626 Oe under optimum synthesis conditions determined from a 2³ factorial design.