ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Optical and magnetic properties of YFeO₃ nanoparticles synthesized by a co-precipitation method at high temperature

Nguyen Thi Kim Chung, Nguyen Anh Tien, and Bui Xuan Vuong

Thu Dau Mot University, Thu Dau Mot City, Vietnam

E-mail: buixuanvuongsgu@gmail.com

Received: 7 August 2021  Accepted: 29 September 2021

Abstract:

This work describes the synthesis of nanocrystalline yttrium orthoferrite by simple co-precipitation method of Y(III) and Fe(III) cations in boiling water with 5% sodium carbonate aqueous solution without any surfactants. YFeO₃ nanoparticles are obtained by annealing the precursors at different temperatures (600, 700, and 800 °C) for 1 h. The TEM analysis shows the particle size in the range of 50–60 nm. According to XRD data (calculated using the Scherrer formula), an increase in annealing temperature from 600 to 800 °C leads to an increase in the average crystallite size from 29.6 to 42.8 nm and in the unit cell volume from 226.40 to 228.55 ų. Synthesized YFeO₃ nanoparticles have strong absorption in the UV–Vis regions (λ = 200–400 and 400–600 nm) and are soft ferromagnetic materials with high magnetization. Additionally, YFeO₃ nanoparticles with a low energy bandgap (E_g ≈ 2.4 eV) are suitable for photocatalysis and can be recovered by magnets.

Keywords: YFeO3; Nanoparticles; Co-precipitation; High temperature; Optical and magnetic properties

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-021-01913-3

Chemical Papers 76 (2) 923–930 (2022)