Role of SDS surfactant concentrations on the structural, morphological, dielectric and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles

Abstract

In this work, we report on the preparation of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant added cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) magnetic nanoparticles by a co-precipitation method at various concentrations (0.04, 0.08, 0.12, 0.16 and 0.20 M) of SDS. The formation of a single phase cubic spinel structure is confirmed by XRD analysis. FTIR study confirms the presence of Fe–O symmetrical stretching vibrations in the tetrahedral site. TEM images imply that the SDS surfactant significantly limits the agglomeration of CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles. A dielectric study reveals that the SDS added CoFe₂O₄ has a higher dielectric constant than that of pure CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles. Magnetic measurements showed the enhanced saturation magnetization (138.75 emu g⁻¹), coercivity (775.69 Oe) and retentivity (60.23 emu g⁻¹) for 0.08 M SDS added CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles. Further, the results obtained in the present study suggest that the surfactant can significantly modify the size and morphology of the prepared CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles.