Abstract
Nanocrystalline nickel-zinc ferrites Ni (x) Zn1-x Fe2O4 thin films have been studied and synthesized via electrodeposition-anodization process. Electrodeposited (NiZn)Fe-2 alloys were obtained from non-aqueous ethylene glycol sulphate bath. The formed alloys were electrochemically oxidized (anodized) in aqueous (1 M KOH) solution, at room temperature, to the corresponding hydroxides. The parameters controlling the current efficiency of the electrodeposition of (NiZn)Fe-2 alloys such as the bath composition and the current density were studied and optimized. The anodized (NiZn)Fe-2 alloy films were annealed in air at different temperatures ranging from 850 to 1000 A degrees C for different times from 1 to 4 h. The change in the crystal structure, crystallite size, microstructure, and magnetic properties of the produced ferrites were investigated using X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results revealed the formation of Ni-Zn ferrites thin films were formed. The crystallite sizes of the produced films were in the range between 32 and 81 nm. High saturation magnetization of 48.81 emu/g was achieved for Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 thin film produced after annealing the alloy at 850 A degrees C for 4 h. The annealing process of the oxidized alloy anodization process was found to be first order reaction. The activation energy of the crystallization of Ni-Zn ferrite was found to be 62 KJ/mol.