ALIGNED HEXAGONAL FERRITE FIBERS OF CO2W, BACO2FE16O27 PRODUCED FROM AN AQUEOUS SOL-GEL PROCESS

Gel fibres of Co2W, BaCo2Fe16O27, were blow spun from an aqueous inorg anic sol and collected as an aligned tow blanket with an alignment of over 90%. Upon calcination up to 1300 degrees C, the ceramic fibres we re shown by X-ray diffraction to form single-phase crystalline Co2W at 1200 degrees C, an unusually low temperature for this compound to for m as the major phase. The formation of Co2W was also accompanied by su dden grain growth, forming crystallites over 10 mu m in length. While this reduced the mechanical strength of the fibres, they were still su itable for use in a composite material.