Effect of the Cation Distribution and Microstructure on the Magnetic Behavior of the CoMn₂O₄ Oxide

Abstract

The sizes of CoMn₂O₄ nanoparticles can easily be tuned, from 40 to 8 nm, depending on the temperature of decomposition of the single-source molecular precursor {[Co(bpy)₃][Mn₂(C₂O₄)₃]·H₂O}_n. The structural features of the CoMn₂O₄ spinel are also affected by the heat treatment temperature, showing a pronounced expansion of unit cell parameters as a consequence of thermally induced cation redistribution between tetrahedral and octahedral sites. Moreover, the magnetic behavior of CoMn₂O₄ was successfully tailored as well; depending on the heat treatment, it is possible to switch between the superparamagnetic and ferrimagnetic ordering and to tailor the magnetic transition temperatures, i.e., the boundaries between the hard and soft magnetic behavior.