Synthesis and characterization of NiFe2O4 ferrite: Sol–gel and hydrothermal synthesis routes effect on magnetic, structural and dielectric characteristics

In the present study, hydrothermal and sol–gel routes were adopted to prepare NiFe2O4 (nickel ferrite) using nickel nitrate and ferric nitrate. The magnetic, structural and dielectric characteristics of NiFe2O4 were compared both for hydrothermal and sol–gel synthesis routes. The NiFe2O4 were characterized by Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD), vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM) and impedance analyzer techniques for the confirmation of morphology, crystallinity, magnetic behavior and dielectric properties of the NiFe2O4. Results revealed that the synthesis route affected the structural, magnetic and dielectric properties of NiFe2O4. The NiFe2O4 showed inverse spinel structure as confirmed from XRD data and crystalline size was 29.39 nm for hydrothermal method, whereas sol-gel route furnished 52.16 nm crystalline size. Prepared NiFe2O4 showed different responses of saturation magnetization (MS) and retentivity (Mr) and coercivity (HC) along with the dielectric properties.