Influence of the synthesis parameters on the cationic distribution of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles obtained by forced hydrolysis in polyol medium

Nanocrystals of ZnFe2O4 have been prepared by forced hydrolysis in polyols. Monodisperse, quasi-isotropic, highly crystalline, chemically homogeneous particles have been obtained as single crystals in the nanometer size range or as polycrystals in the submicrometer range depending on the nature of the polyol and the amount of water added. As inferred from EXAFS and XMCD data, the cation distribution in tetrahedral A (Td) and octahedral B (Oh) sites differs from that of bulk material, Fe3+ in A sites being observed in a ratio which depends on the crystallite size.