Synthesis and structural characterization of nonstoichiometric barium hexaferrite materials with Fe:Ba ratio of 11.5 – 16.16

Synthesis of barium hexaferrites BaFe₁₂O₁₉ (BaM) is often accompanied by the presence of secondary nonmagnetic phases. The coexistence of these phases reduces the yield of the desired BaM magnetic phase and screens its intrinsic magnetic properties such as the saturation magnetization, and impacts the magnetic properties of the sample negatively. Therefore, assessment of the abundance of these phases and investigating their effect on the structural properties of the sample is of fundamental and practical importance. In this work, BaM hexaferrites were prepared by ball milling and sintering powder precursors with Fe:Ba molar ratios varying from 11.5 to 16.16. The structural properties of the phases in the samples were investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD). The weight ratios of the different phases, as well as their refined structural parameters were determined using Rietveld analysis. XRD patterns revealed the development of α-Fe₂O₃ (hematite) phase with increasing relative diffracted intensity as the Fe:Ba molar ratio increased. The evolution of the intensity of this phase was used to monitor the weight ratio of the secondary hematite phase in the sample, and a relation between the its weight ratio and the Fe:Ba ratio was established. The optimal Fe:Ba ratio required to synthesis a pure barium hexaferrite phase was then determined, and found to be 11.7. (paper)