Investigation of the cation distribution and microstructure in nanostructured ferrites

Nanostructured materials are useful in new technological applications, such as MRI contrast agents, drug delivery and exchange-spring magnets. Highly relevant materials are the magnetic spinel ferrites since they are inexpensive, while offering good magnetic properties. The magnetic properties of these can be tuned by changing the composition and the distribution of the cations on the different crystallographic sites in the crystal. In a nanocomposite, the spinel ferrite is combined with a hard magnetic compound, each contributing to a material with enhanced magnetic properties. In this experiment, we investigate the cations redistribution in the material during heating to and cooling from high temperatures and the stability of the nanocomposite.