Preferential exposure of certain crystallographic planes on the surface ofspinel ferrites: a study by LEIS on polycrystalline spinel ferrite surfaces

Spinel ferrites are commercially important because of their excellent magne tic and catalytic properties. The study by Low Energy Ion Scattering (LEIS) can reveal atomic scale information on the surface. The surface of selecte d spinel ferrites was investigated by LEIS. It has been found that it is th e octahedral sites which are preferentially exposed on the surface of the s pinel ferrites. So the probable planes which are exposed on spinel ferrite surfaces are D(110) or B(111). This prediction using LEIS gives scope for t ailor-making compounds with catalytically active ions on the surface for va rious catalytic reactions. (C) 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers.