Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Structural and magnetic phase transition of sol–gel-synthesized Cr2O3 and MnCr2O4 nanoparticles

  • Original Paper: Nano-structured materials (particles, fibers, colloids, composites, etc.)
  • Published:
Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Cr2O3 and MnCr2O4 spinel chromite nanoparticles were synthesized using chemically derived sol–gel technique. Crystal structure was analyzed using X-ray diffraction, and phase transition from a rhombohedral symmetry (R-3c) for Cr2O3 to a spinel cubic symmetry (Fd3 m) for MnCr2O4 has been observed. Data obtained from diffraction were also utilized to evaluate the lattice parameters, crystallite size and unit cell volume. Micrographs obtained using a field emission scanning electron microscope exhibited well-shaped, homogenously distributed 30–70-nm-sized nanoparticles, with well-defined grain. Stoichiometric composition of all the elements present in the samples was confirmed using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Dynamic light scattering measurement was performed to corroborate the hydrodynamic diameter and distribution of Cr2O3 and MnCr2O4 nanoparticles. The magnetic behavior of samples was scrutinized as a function of temperature and applied field. It was observed that Cr2O3 exhibited paramagnetic behavior both at room temperature and at 5 K, while a magnetic phase transition from ferro to para was observed in MnCr2O4 with a Curie temperature, T c ~ 50 K.

Graphical Abstract

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Sun B, Wu J, Jia X, Lou F, Chen P (2015) Preparation and light-controlled resistive switching memory behavior of CuCr2O4. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 75:664–669

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Saha D, Giri R, Mistry KK, Sengupta K (2005) Magnesium chromate–TiO2 spinel tape cast thick film as humidity sensor. Sens Actuators B Chem 107:323–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Geng Q, Zhao X, Gao X, Yang S, Liu G (2012) Low-temperature combustion synthesis of CuCr2O4 spinel powder for spectrally selective paints. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 61:281–288

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Paul B, Bhuyan B, Purkayastha DD, Dhar SS, Behera S (2015) Facile synthesis of spinel CuCr2O4 nanoparticles and studies of their photo catalytic activity in degradation of some selected organic dyes. J Alloys Compd 648:629–635

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Ahmad SS, Rhamdhani M, Pownceby M, Bruckard W (2016) Selective sulfidising roasting for the removal of chrome spinel impurities from weathered ilmenite ore. Int J Miner Process 146:29–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Kim D, Lhm S (2001) Application of spinel-type cobalt chromite as a novel catalyst for combustion of chlorinated organic pollutants. Environ Sci Technol 35:222–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Li H, Chen W (2010) Stability of MnCr2O4 spinel and Cr2O3 in high temperature carbonaceous environments with varied oxygen partial pressures. Corros Sci 52:2481–2488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Lau K, Kandalam A, Costales A, Pandey R (2004) Equilibrium geometry and electron detachment energies of anionic Cr2O4, Cr2O5, and Cr2O6 clusters. Chem Phys Lett 393:112–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Jankovsky O, Sedmidubsky D, Sofer Z, Luxa J, Bartunek V (2015) Simple synthesis of Cr2O3 nanoparticles with a tunable particle size. Ceram Int 41:4644–4650

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Tong J, Cai X, Wang H, Xia C (2013) Efficient magnetic CoFe2O4 nanocrystal catalyst for aerobic oxidation of cyclohexane prepared by sol–gel auto-combustion method: effects of catalyst preparation parameters. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 66:452–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Masrour R, Hamedoun M, Benyoussef A (2010) Magnetic properties of MnCr2O4 nanoparticle. J Magn Magn Mater 322:301–304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Peelamedu R, Grimes C, Agrawal D, Roy R, Yadoji P (2003) Ultralow dielectric constant nickel–zinc ferrites using microwave sintering. J Mater Res 18:2292–2295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Hossain AKMA, Seki M, Kawai T, Tabata H (2004) Colossal magneto resistance in spinel type Zn1−xNixFe2O4. J Appl Phys 96:1273–1275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Zhou Y, Yang Z, Li L, Xie Y, Lin S, Sun Y, Zhang Y (2012) Magnetic field and external pressure effects on the spiral order of polycrystalline MnCr2O4. J Magn Magn Mater 324:3799–3801

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Song S, Yuan Z (2003) Electrical properties of MnCr2O4 spinel. J Mater Sci Lett 22:755–757

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Mufti N, Blake GR, Palstra TTM (2009) Magneto dielectric coupling in MnCr2O4 spinel. J Magn Magn Mater 321:1767–1769

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Yazdanbakhsha M, Khosravi I, Goharshadi G, Youssefi A (2010) Fabrication of nano spinel ZnCr2O4 using sol–gel method and its application on removal of azo dye from aqueous solution. J Hazard Mater 184:684–689

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Gao Z, Cui F, Zeng S, Guo L, Shi J (2010) A high surface area super paramagnetic mesoporous spinel ferrite synthesized by a template-free approach and its adsorptive property. Microporous Mesoporous Mater 132:188–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Sivakumar P, Ramesh R, Ramanand A, Ponnusamy S, Muthamizhchelvan C (2013) Synthesis and characterization of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles and nanorods. J Alloys Compd 563:6–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Matulkova I, Holec P, Pacakova B, Kubickova S, Mantlikova A, Plocek J, Nemec I, Niznansky D, Vejpravova J (2015) On preparation of nano crystalline chromites by co-precipitation and autocombustion methods. Mater Sci Eng B 195:66–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Marinkovic Z, Mancic L, Maric R, Milosevic O (2001) Preparation of nanostructure Zn–Cr–O spinel powders by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. J Eur Ceram Soc 21:2051–2055

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Levy S, Diella D, Pavese V, Dapiaggi A, Sani M (2005) P-V equation of state, thermal expansion and P–T stability of synthetic (ZnCr2O4 spinel). Am Miner 90:1157–1167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Hilczer A, Kowalska K, Markiewicz E, Pietraszko A, Andrzejewski B (2016) Dielectric and magnetic response of SrFe12O19–CoFe2O4 composites obtained by solid state reaction. Mater Sci Eng B Solid 207:47–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Marinkovic ZV, Mancic L, Vulic P, Milosevi O (2005) Microstructure characterization of mechanically activated ZnO–Cr2O3 system. J Eur Ceram Soc 25:2081–2093

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Bayhan M, Hashemi T, Brinkman A (1997) Sintering and humidity-sensitive behavior of the ZnCr2O4–K2CrO4 ceramic system. J Mater Sci 32:6619–6623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Ghafoor I, Siddiqi SA, Atiq S, Riaz S, Naseem S (2015) Sol–gel synthesis and investigation of structural, electrical and magnetic properties of Pb doped La0.1Bi0.9FeO3 multiferroics. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 74:352–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Cullity BD (1977) Elements of X-ray diffraction, 2nd edn. Notre Dame

  28. Carvalho JWJ, Carvalho FAO, Batista T, Santiago PS, Tabak M (2014) Cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) effect on the thermal stability of oxy-HbGp: dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies. Colloid Surf B 118:14–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Sobhani A, Niasari M (2013) Synthesis, characterization, optical and magnetic properties of a nickel sulfide series by three different methods. Superlattices Microstruct 59:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Anandan K, Rajendran V (2014) Studies on structural, morphological, magnetic and optical properties of chromium sesquioxide (Cr2O3) nanoparticles: synthesized via facile solvo thermal process by different solvents. Mat Sci Semicon Process 19:136–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Vollath D, Szabo D, Willis J (1996) Magnetic properties of nano crystalline Cr2O3 synthesized in a microwave plasma. Mater Lett 29:271–279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Pokhrel S, Simion C, Quemener V, Barsan N, Weimar U (2008) Investigations of conduction mechanism in Cr2O3 gas sensing thick films by ac impedance spectroscopy and work function changes measurements. Sens Actuators B Chem 133:78–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Zhang W, Bru E, Zhang Z, Tegus O, Li W, Si P, Geng D, Buschow K (2005) Structure and magnetic properties of Cr nanoparticles and Cr2O3 nanoparticles. Phys B 358:332–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Jhuang YC, Kuo KM, Chern G (2011) Structural and magnetic characterizations of Mn2CrO4 and MnCr2O4 films on MgO(001) and SrTiO3(001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. J Appl Phys 109:07D714

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Hastings JM, Corliss LM (1962) Magnetic structure of manganese chromite. Phys Rev 126:556–565

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Authors are thankful to Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) for financially supporting this work through research project number NRPU-2471. The authors also extend their sincere appreciations to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for funding this Research Group No. RG-1435-004.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan

    Adnan Afzal, Shahid Atiq & Shahzad Naseem

  2. Department of Physics, School of Sciences and Engineering (SSE), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, 54792, Pakistan

    Murtaza Saleem

  3. Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11421, Saudi Arabia

    Shahid M. Ramay

  4. Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore, 54600, Pakistan

    Saadat A. Siddiqi

Authors
  1. Adnan Afzal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shahid Atiq
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Murtaza Saleem
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shahid M. Ramay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Shahzad Naseem
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Saadat A. Siddiqi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shahid Atiq.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Afzal, A., Atiq, S., Saleem, M. et al. Structural and magnetic phase transition of sol–gel-synthesized Cr2O3 and MnCr2O4 nanoparticles. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 80, 96–102 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-016-4066-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-016-4066-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation