Synthesis and characterization of nickel ferrite / MWCNTs nanohybrid with increasing effect of MWCNTs weight percent

Abstract

The NiFe2O4 / MWCNTs nanohybrid was synthesized via novel one step ultrasonication assisted method using ortho-xylene as a dispersive medium. Coprecipitation method was adopted for the synthesis of nickel ferrite nanoparticles. MWCNTs concentrations (0.0%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% 2.5% and 10.0%) were continuously changed in nickel ferrite. The nanohybrid was characterized by different techniques i.e. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Impedance Analyzer. The XRD patterns confirmed the formation of NiFe2O4 / MWCNTs nanohybrid with decreasing x-ray density and increasing porosity. The crystallite size obtained was in the range of 20 to 50 nm. The SEM images showed the decoration of nickel ferrite nanoparticles on MWCNTs. The FTIR results showed that MWCNTs didn’t affect the spinal structure of ferrite. Cole-Cole plot of impedance showed that resistance is decreasing with increasing MWCNTs concentration and the resistance is only due to the grain boundary contribution. The dielectric properties were found to be increasing with increasing MWCNTs weight percent and showed high values of dielectric properties. For 10.0% MWCNTs concentration, the results showed enhanced values of dielectric constant from (6.17×103 to 2.10×105), dielectric loss from (3.87×104 to 1.29 ×107), dielectric loss tangent from (6.268 to 61.4843) and AC conductivity from (2.15×10-4 to 7.18×10-2 S/m) respectively at 100 Hz. Such enhanced properties of NiFe2O4 / MWCNTs nanohybrid render its applications for the super capacitors, microwave absorbers and high frequency applications.