Chemical synthesis of spinel nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) nano-sheets

The present investigation is related to the deposition of single-phase nano-sheets spinel nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) thin films onto glass substrates using a chemical method. Nano-sheets nickel ferrite films were deposited from an alkaline bath containing Ni2+ and Fe2+ ions. The films were characterized for their structural, surface morphological and electrical properties by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and two-point probe electrical resistivity techniques. The X-ray diffraction pattern showed that NiFe2O4 nano-sheets are oriented along (3 1 1) plane. The FT-IR spectra of NiFe2O4 films showed strong absorption peaks around 600 and 400 cm−1 which are typical for cubic spinel crystal structure. Microstructural study of NiFe2O4 film revealed nano-sheet like morphology with average sheet thickness of 30 nm. The room temperature electrical resistivity of the NiFe2O4 nano-sheets was 107 Ω cm.