CoFe2O4 thin film production by a sol-gel process

• Main Author: Soh, Chin Hock.
• Other Authors: Thirumany Sritharan
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Materials::Magnetic materials
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/44548
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The effects of the annealing temperature and the molar ratio of [Co2+]/[Fe3+] were studied. Sol-gel method was used to synthesize Co1+xFe2-xO4 thin films. For the first part of this work, stoichiometric composition of cobalt ferrite ([Co2+]/[Fe3+]=0.5) and a non-stoichiometric composition of cobalt ferrite ( [Co2+]/[Fe3+]=1.0) thin films’ dependency of structure and magnetic properties on the heat treatment temperature were investigated. It was observed that with increasing heat treatment temperatures, the intensity of the reflection due to CoFe2O4 increased. At 800˚C, the magnetic properties of the films yield the best balance of results. For the second part of this work, the effects of varying the molar ratio of [Co2+]/[Fe3+] were observed. It was observed that solution composition played a significant role in altering the magnetic properties of the films. The highest Ms value of 4.930 x 10-3emu was observed at [Co2+]/[Fe3+] ratio of 0.75 and Hc was observed to gradually decrease with increasing [Co2+]/[Fe3+] ratios.