Structure and magnetic characteristics of sonochemically synthesised nano-structured ZnFe₂O₄

Abstract Zn ferrite (ZnFe 2 O 4 ) has been the object of sustained basic research due to its unique and complex magnetic properties. It is a spinel of an intricate tunable cubic-symmetry structure with multiple degrees of freedom, thus providing ample opportunities for applications as materials for energy storage and conversion and catalysis, or ferrofluids, to name a few. In addition to its suitable magnetic characteristics, zinc ferrite nanomaterials exhibit excellent biocompatibility and low toxicity, enhancing their potential in, e.g., theranostics, and, specifically, in magnetic hyperthermia techniques. This study presents the structure and magnetic characteristics of ZnFe 2 O 4 obtained in a powder form via a sonochemical approach, with a focus on how these properties are affected by specific synthesis conditions. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy studies reveal a nanostructured material. Strikingly, for the as-prepared nanostructured material at 4.2 K the measured magnetization curves were positioned in the second and forth quadrants known as demonstration of the phenomenon of self-reversed magnetic hysteresis.