Synthesis and characterization of CoxFe1−xFe2O4 nanoparticles by anionic, cationic, and non-ionic surfactant templates via co-precipitation

The cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CoxFe1−xFe2O4) were synthesized by the surfactant templated co-precipitation method using various surfactants namely sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and Tween20. Under the substitution, the CoxFe1−xFe2O4 particles were synthesized at various Co2+ and Fe2+ mole ratios (x = 1, 0.6, 0.2, and 0) with the SDS. The cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were characterized for their morphology, structure, magnetic, and electrical properties. All CoxFe1−xFe2O4 nanoparticles showed the nanoparticle sizes varying from 16 to 43 nm. In the synthesis of CoFe2O4, the SDS template provided the smallest particle size, whereas the saturated magnetization (Ms) of CoFe2O4 was reduced by using CTAB, SDS, and Tween20. For the CoxFe1−xFe2O4 as synthesized by the SDS template at 1.2 CMC, the Ms increased with increasing Fe2+ mole ratio. The highest Ms of 100.4 emu/g was obtained from the Fe3O4 using the SDS template. The Fe3O4 nanoparticle is potential to be used in various actuator and biomedical devices.