Chapters authored
Spinel‐Structured Nanoparticles for Magnetic and Mechanical Applications
Nanoparticles of Fe3O4 have been successfully synthesized using a simple coprecipitation technique from natural iron sands, employing HNO3 and NH4OH as dispersing and precipitating agents, respectively. The substitution of Fe with Mn to result in Fe3-xMnxO4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 3) was conducted to control the magnetic strength of this nano‐sized spinel powder. It is shown that magnetic properties depend not only on the particle size and Mn doping but also on the particles clustering. The applications for magnetic fluids, gels, and coating are extensively described. Meanwhile, the spinel MgAl2O4 nanoparticles have also been prepared by the same simple method from commercial starting materials. This powder was used as a nano‐reinforcer of Al‐matrix composites. In addition, MgAl2O4 micro‐sized powder forming a thick layer was successfully grown by electroless plating on the interface of matrix‐filler in Al/SiC composites. The strengthening of mechanical properties with respect to the varying uses of these MgAl2O4 powders is discussed.
Part of the book: Magnetic Spinels