Tuning the magnetic and electric behavior of lithium ferrite using an eco-friendly pectin sol-gel route

Abstract

Lithium ferrite (LiFe5O8) in the cubic crystal system is a very important and versatile material for several technological applications as it possesses very attractive electric and magnetic behaviors. Herein, we report an ecofriendly first approach sol-gel route, mediated by pectin, for the preparation of LiFe5O8. Pectin, a natural polysaccharide, was explored because it is a very attractive gelling agent to produce ceramic materials by the sol-gel method. The influence of the sintering temperature (800–1200\u2009°C) applied on the pressed pellets, was evaluated by correlating the electric and magnetic properties with its structural and morphological characteristics. LiFe5O8 pellets sintered at 1000 and 1100\u2009°C had the lowest dielectric losses and the most interesting dielectric behaviors in this regard, due to quasi-independence of the loss tangent through the temperature and frequency range studied. The magnetization, at 300\u2009K, of LiFe5O8 monophasic pellets, sintered at 1100 and 1200\u2009°C, are among the best values reported in the literature, 65 and 71\u2009emu/g, respectively. Thus, the LiFe5O8 prepared by this sol-gel route shows particularly notable magnetic properties that can be explored for several applications. Tuning the magnetic and electric behavior of lithium ferrite using an eco-friendly pectin sol-gel route Tuning the magnetic and electric behavior of lithium ferrite using an eco-friendly pectin sol-gel route LiFe5O8 particles were prepared by a Pectin mediated sol-gel route. LiFe5O8 sintered at 1000 and 1100\u2009°C had low dielectric losses. The loss tangent is quasi-independence on the temperature and frequency. The magnetization of monophase LiFe5O8 achieved 71\u2009emu/g, at 300\u2009K. LiFe5O8 particles were prepared by a Pectin mediated sol-gel route. LiFe5O8 sintered at 1000 and 1100\u2009°C had low dielectric losses. The loss tangent is quasi-independence on the temperature and frequency. The magnetization of monophase LiFe5O8 achieved 71\u2009emu/g, at 300\u2009K.