Abstract
This research work probes into the crystallographic and magnetic structural stability of barium ferrite nanoparticles (BaFe2O4 NPs) at dynamic shock wave-exposed conditions. Barium ferrite NPs have been prepared by co-precipitation method and the structural stability of the title ferrite has been scrutinized subsequent to the impact of shock waves (Mach number 2.2) at different counts of shocks viz., 50, 100 and 150, respectively, and their performance on shock resistance has been analyzed by the techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultra-violet diffused reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Based on the results of the observed analytical measurements, it is substantiated that the test sample has not undergone any of the crystallographic phase transitions even though it has the crystal structure of polymorphism which manifests as the viable witness for the structural stability of the test sample that has been also authenticated by the XRD results. Very few slight changes are observed in the optical and magnetic properties of BaFe2O4 NPs at shocked conditions. More interestingly, the existence of mixed magnetic phase (ferro and anti-ferromagnetic) is witnessed at 50 and 100 shocked conditions because of the shock wave-induced directional disorder of the spin orientations of the test samples which is typically called "kink behavior". The observed results reveal that the divalent ferrite NPs of BaFe2O4 have high shock resistance than that of the technologically important ferrites such as ZnFe2O4 and alpha-Fe2O3 NPs. Hence, the title material could be considered as a prospective candidate for the aerospace device fabrication because of the exceptional stability of its structure against the shock wave impact.