SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ULTRAFINE LITHIUM FERRITE FROM A CITRATE PRECURSOR

Ultrafine particles of lithium ferrite have been prepared at the unusu ally low temperatures of 240 and 455-degrees-C by a citrate precursor method. The materials obtained after annealing at temperatures between 455 and 700-degrees-C consist of ordered lithium ferrite as shown by the characteristic infrared absorptions, the X-ray diffraction superst ructure reflections, and the 4.2 K Mossbauer spectra. The values of ma gnetization obtained are somewhat low, due to the presence of small qu antities of an alpha-Fe2O3 phase, which can also be observed in the X- ray diffraction and the Mossbauer spectra.