Journal article

Publication year: 2016

Pages: 1350-1360

Journal: Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology

Volume number: 7

ISSN: 2190-4286

Open access status: Gold

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.7.126

Publisher: Beilstein-Institut

Abstract: 
Magnetic nanocrystals with a narrow size distribution hold promise for many applications in different areas ranging from biomedicine to electronics and energy storage. Herein, the microwave-assisted sol-gel synthesis and thorough characterization of size-monodisperse zinc ferrite nanoparticles of spherical shape is reported. X-ray diffraction, Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy all show that the material is both chemically and phase-pure and adopts a partially inverted spinel structure with Fe3+ ions residing on tetrahedral and octahedral sites according to (Zn0.32Fe0.68)(tet)[Zn0.68Fe1.32]O-oct(4 +/-delta). Electron microscopy and direct-current magnetometry confirm the size uniformity of the nanocrystals, while frequency-dependent alternating-current magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate the presence of a superspin glass state with a freezing temperature of about 22 K. Furthermore, as demonstrated by galvanostatic charge-discharge tests and ex situ X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy, the as-prepared zinc ferrite nanocrystals can be used as a high-capacity anode material for Li-ion batteries, showing little capacity fade - after activation - over hundreds of cycles. Overall, in addition to the good material characteristics, it is remarkable that the microwave-based synthetic route is simple, easily reproducible and scalable.

Harvard Citation style: Suchomski, C., Breitung, B., Witte, R., Knapp, M., Bauer, S., Baumbach, T., et al. (2016) Microwave synthesis of high-quality and uniform 4 nm ZnFe₂O₄ nanocrystals for application in energy storage and nanomagnetics, Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology, 7, pp. 1350-1360. https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.7.126

APA Citation style: Suchomski, C., Breitung, B., Witte, R., Knapp, M., Bauer, S., Baumbach, T., Reitz, C., & Brezesinski, T. (2016). Microwave synthesis of high-quality and uniform 4 nm ZnFe₂O₄ nanocrystals for application in energy storage and nanomagnetics. Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. 7, 1350-1360. https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.7.126