Structural and magnetic properties of spinel (Co,Cu)Fe2O4 ferrites prepared via a hydrothermal and sintering process

Spinel Co-Cu ferrites with the nominal composition Co1-xCuxFe2O4 ferrites (x = 0.0-0.4 with steps of 0.1) were prepared by a hydrothermal and sintering process, and the structural and magnetic properties of as-synthesized and sintered powder specimens were compared by using X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry and vibrating sample magnetometer analyses. It is found that all the as-synthesized and sintered specimens are single phase, and only suitable amount of Cu2+ substitution (x <= 0.3) is favorable for the growth of grains at high sintering temperature. In addition, with the increase of x, the saturation magnetization of both the as-synthesized and sintered powders decreases continuously, while the coercivity exhibits a first increasing but then decreasing tendency.