Nanostructured CdFe2O4 spinel powders with various grain sizes ranging from
60 to 4 nm were synthesized by ball milling the bulk material. The magneti
zation measurements at 1 and 9 T reveal a spin-glass-like surface structure
and the material is found to have a large anisotropy. Mossbauer studies at
10 K in external magnetic fields of 6 and 8.5 T applied parallel to the di
rection of gamma rays could clearly show that CdFe2O4 behaves like a mixed
spinel on reducing the grain size to nanometer level and exhibits ferrimagn
etic ordering. Fe3+ spins at both A and B sites exhibit spin canting. (C) 2
001 American Institute of Physics.