Abstract:
Nickel ferrite was prepared by wet chemical co-precipitation method. Carbon nanofiber was well dispersed in Nickel ferrite by the use of polar solvent ortho- Xylene. Novel one step method was used to synthesize different compositions of NiFe2O4/CNF nanohybrid, where CNF concentration was continuously increased (0%,10%,15% and 20% by weight) . The nanohybrid synthesis was confirmed by employing characterization techniques like X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and dielectric properties were studied using impedance analyser techniques. XRD patterns confirmed the formation of NiFe2O4/CNF nanohybrid with crystallite size in the range of 28±4 nm, decreasing bulk density, x-ray density and increasing porosity. FTIR patterns show two characteristic absorption bands and confirms that carbon nanofiber did not interfered with spinel structure of nickel ferrite. SEM images confirmed the complete coating of nickel ferrite nanoparticles on carbon nanofiber and efficiency of our described novel method. The dielectric properties: dielectric constant, dielecric loss, tangent loss and AC conductivity showed huge enhancement with increase in CNF weight percent. Pure NiFe2O4 showed dielectric constant of 1.79 x 103 at 100 Hz while it was increased massively to 2.92 x 106 at 100 Hz for 20% addition of CNF, which renders this nanohybrid to have potential applications as supercapacitors. The impedance analysis showed the considerable decrease of resistance, reactance and cole-cole plot on the addition of carbon nanofibers. For example: The pure NiFe2O4 has highest impedance values of 3.67 x 107 Ohm at 100 Hz and NiFe2O4 /CNF nanohybrid with 20% CNFs concentration has the lowest impedance values of 1.38 x 107 Ohm at 100 Hz, which proves this nanohybrid useful for high frequency applications and microwave absorbing appliances.
