Exploring the magnetic properties of ferrite nanoparticles for the development of rare-earth-free permanent magnet

Currently, there is a rising demand for rare-earth elements for a broad range of industrial applications. However, the risk of supply of these strategic materials due to political restrictions, the high environmental impact of their extraction as well as price oscillations have motivated many researchers in finding viable alternatives. We propose nanometric cobalt ferrite (Co_xFe_3-xO₄) as candidate to achieve this goal. On one hand cobalt ferrite, thanks to its large cubic magnetic anisotropy, is a hard magnet. On the other hand, the reduction to the nanoscale may offer unique advantage, which can significantly improve the characteristic of the material.