Surface structure of mechanically activated and of mechanosynthesized zincferrite

Zinc ferrite forms the structure of a normal spinel, A mechanical activatio n and a mechanosynthesis of zinc ferrite at room temperature lead to the fo rmation of the metastable inverse spinel structure. The changes in the surf ace structure of mechanically activated and of mechanosynthesized zinc ferr ite as a function of the mechanical treatment time and the relaxation of th e mechanically induced inverse spinel structure by thermal treatment in the temperature range 800-1100 K have been studied using the ESCA method. The surface structure of the mechanically disturbed zinc ferrite, compared to t he bulk structures of the inverse and normal spinels, and the mechanically induced increase in the reactivity are discussed. (C) 1999 Academic Press.