A comparison study of polymer/cobalt ferrite nano-composites synthesized by mechanical alloying route

In this research, the effect of different biopolymers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on synthesis and characterization of polymer/cobalt ferrite (CF) nano-composites by mechanical alloying method has been systematically investigated. The structural, morphological and magnetic properties changes during mechanical milling were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and vibrating sample magnetometer techniques (VSM), respectively. The polymeric cobalt ferrite nano-composites were obtained by employing a two-step procedure: the cobalt ferrite of 20 nm mean particle size was first synthesized by mechanical alloying route and then was embedded in PEG or PVA biopolymer matrix by milling process. The results revealed that PEG melted due to the local temperature raise during milling. Despite this phenomenon, cobalt ferrite nano-particles were entirely embedded in PEG matrix. It seems, PAV is an appropriate candidate for producing nano-composite samples due to its high melting point. In PVA/CF nano-composites, the mean crystallite size and milling induced strain decreased to 13 nm and 0.48, respectively. Moreover, milling process resulted in well distribution of CF in PVA matrix even though the mean particle size of cobalt ferrite has not been significantly affecetd. FTIR result confirmed the attachment of PVA to the surface of nano-particles. Magnetic properties evaluation showed that saturation magnetization and coercivity values decreased in nano-composite sample comparing the pure cobalt ferrite.