Superparamagnetic Properties of Nanoparticles Ni_0.9Zn_0.1Fe₂O₄ for Biomedical Applications

Nanoparticles $Ni_{0.9}Zn_{0.1}Fe_2O_4$ is fabricated by a sol-gel method. The magnetic and structural properties of powders were investigated with XRD, SEM, Mossbauer spectroscopy, and VSM. $Ni_{0.9}Zn_{0.1}Fe_2O_4$ powders annealed at $300{^{\circ}C}$ have a spinel structure and behaved superparamagnetically. The estimated size of $Ni_{0.9}Zn_{0.1}Fe_2O_4$ nanoparticle is about 10 nm. The hyperfine fields at 13 K for the A and B patterns are found to be 533 and 507 kOe, respectively. The ZFC curves are rounded at the blocking temperature ($T_B$)and show a paramagnetic-like behavior above $T_B$. $T_B$ of $Ni_{0.9}Zn_{0.1}Fe_2O_4$ nanoparticle is about 250 K. Nanoparticles $Ni_{0.9}Zn_{0.1}Fe_2O_4$ annealed at 400 and $500{^{\circ}C}$ have a typical spinel structure and is ferrimagnetic in nature. The isomer shifts indicate that the iron ions were ferric at the tetrahedral (A) and the octahedral (B). The saturation magnetization of nanoparticles $Ni_{0.9}Zn_{0.1}Fe_2O_4$ annealed at 400 and $500{^{\circ}C}$ are 40 and 43 emu/g, respectively. The magnetic anisotropy constant of $Ni_{0.9}Zn_{0.1}Fe_2O_4$ annealed at $300{^{\circ}C}$ were calculated to be 1.6 ${\times}$ $10^6$ ergs/$cm^3$.