Characterization and synthesis of nanocrystalline CoFe2O4 ferrites prepared by sol-gel method with citric acid variation.

The objective of this study is to develop nanocrystalline CoFe2O4 for making them suitable for various applications such as sensors, recording devices, permanent magnets, solar cells, and magnetic drug delivery. The CoFe2O4 ferrite samples were prepared using the sol-gel method with varying amounts of citric acid. XRD characterization revealed a single-phase cubic structure, and the broad peak indicated the presence of nano-sized particles. The Debye-Scherrer formula was employed to calculate the crystallite size of the samples. Interestingly, increasing the citric acid content led to a decrease in the FWHM (full width at half maximum) broadening, as clearly observed in the XRD pattern. All samples were subjected to Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) to investigate the surface morphology, which revealed their well-produced spherical form. Additionally, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the elemental composition of the samples, indicating appropriate doping in the polycrystalline samples. The presence of different chemical bonds was examined by Fourier Transform Infrared Rays (FTIR) Spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]