Reducing the crystallite and particle size of SrFe12O19 with PVA by high energy ball milling

The effect of polyvinyl alcohol, PVA, on crystallite and particle sizes of strontium hexaferrite synthesized by high-energy ball milling followed by an annealing at 950 °C is presented. Results of X-ray diffraction of (100-x)SrFe₁₂O₁₉@xPVA (0 ≤ x ≤ 100) composites shown the presence of strontium hexaferrite in all samples, while the crystal structure of PVA is degraded due to the mechanical energy supplied from the milling process. However, the Infrared study (FTIR) indicated that the polymeric chain kept intact. Magnetic behavior, from vibrating sample magnetometry tests, shown a waist wasp type hysteresis loop, for all the composites SrFe₁₂O₁₉@PVA, confirming that both materials do not generate bonds, and there is only a mixture of materials. Finally, Rietveld refinement, SEM analysis, and particle size measurement allowed demonstrating that PVA reduces the crystallite and particle sizes at nanometers scale of strontium hexaferrite synthesized.