ZnFe2O4 Nanoparticles Prepared Using the Hydrothermal and the Sol-gel Methods

Zinc-ferrite nanoparticles were prepared using the hydrothermal and the sol-gel methods. ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles with a spinel structure were formed by using both approaches, which was confirmed through X-ray diffraction. Although both types of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles showed similar morphologies and particle sizes, the saturation magnetization of the ZnFe2O4 prepared using the hydrothermal method was about 10 times higher than that of the ZnFe2O4 prepared using the sol-gel method. Through the Rietveld refinement analysis, we were able to conclude that the enhanced magnetic property of ZnFe2O4 could be attributed to the cation inversion induced during the hydrothermal synthesis process.