Structural, dielectric and magnetic studies of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles for selected annealing temperatures

Single-phase cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized by coprecipitation method and annealed at different temperatures. The structural, dielectric and magnetic properties were investigated, which showed an obvious dependence on annealing temperature. The average crystallite size increased from 20 to 60nm with increase of annealing temperature. Meanwhile, the shape of nanoparticles also changed from spherical to octahedron and then cubic. Dielectric constant showed dispersion behavior and decreased with increasing annealing temperature, while the relaxation peaks observed in dielectric loss were shifted to lower frequencies. The ac conductivity originates from Polaron hopping which decreased with increase of crystallite size (less surface area and defect density) due to higher annealing temperature. The saturation magnetization increased from 59 to 81emu/g and coercivity dropped from 1316 to 428 Oe with the increase of particle size.