Polynuclear coordination compounds as precursors for CuFe2O4

Abstract

The possibility of obtaining copper ferrite through the thermal decomposition of the two polynuclear coordination compounds: (NH₄)₈[Fe₂Cu(C₂O₄)₈] (I) and [Fe₂Cu(C₂O₄)₂(OH)₄]·4H₂O (II) was considered. The polynuclear compounds were characterized by various physical chemical techniques, e.g., IR, UV-VIS, EPR, Mössbauer spectra, thermal analysis and magnetic measurements. The final products obtained after thermal decomposition of the complex compounds were analysed by X-ray diffraction. A mixture of tetragonal CuFe₂O₄, α-Fe₂O₃ and CuO is generated from the thermolysis of compound I, while a clean tetragonal CuFe₂O₄ with saturation magnetization of 26.89 emu g⁻¹ is obtained from compound II.